how to make a presentation with a voice over

How-To Geek

How to record voiceover narration in powerpoint.

If you're not able to physically present your slideshow, record a voiceover narration to make sure no points are missed.

Quick Links

Preparation, record a voiceover for your presentation.

If you’re sending out your presentation instead of giving it in front of an audience, but you feel adding a vocal explanation would better help to deliver the message, record a voiceover narration. Here’s how to do it.

Before you begin your PowerPoint narration, you’ll need to make sure you’ve made the proper preparations.

Set Up Your Mic

First, you’ll need a microphone. Most modern computers have a built-in microphone that gets the job done, but investing in a USB microphone will increase the audio quality of the narration by quite a bit.

The built-in microphone will be set as your input device by default, so if you plan on using it for the PowerPoint narration, you don’t need to take any additional steps in setting it up. However, if you plan to use a USB microphone for the narration, be sure to set it as the input device.

To do this on Windows, right-click the volume icon found on the right of the taskbar. In the menu that appears, select “Open Sound Settings.”

The “Sound Settings” window will appear. Here, scroll down to the “Input” section and click the box under “Choose your input device.”

If you’re using a USB microphone, it will appear here. Select it to set it as the input device.

The steps for Mac users are extremely similar. The only difference is you should go to "System Settings" and select "Sound" instead of right-clicking the volume icon like on Windows. From there, the steps are the same.

Take Notes and Rehearse

With your mic set up, you’re ready to start recording, right? Well, not quite. While you may not be physically standing in front of the audience delivering this presentation, you still need to treat it as though you are. This means going through the basics---taking notes and rehearsing your delivery.

One thing you can do to help you record a successful narration is to write out a script. As with a live presentation, though, you don’t want to sound like you’re reading straight from your notecards. Practice reading through the script a few times so that it sounds natural and fluid.

Once you’re confident in your delivery, it’s time to start recording.

Open the PowerPoint presentation in which you would like to record a voiceover narration. Head over to the “Slide Show” tab and, in the “Set Up” group, select “Record Slide Show.” Once selected, a drop-down menu will appear. Here, you can choose to start the narration from the beginning or from the current slide. If you choose to start recording from the current slide, make sure that you’re on the slide you’d like to start recording from.

Related: How to Record Your Screen with Microsoft PowerPoint

In this example, we’ll choose “Record from Beginning.”

Now, you’ll be in full-screen mode. You’ll notice a few extra tools appear, including a record button at the top-left corner of the screen. When you’re ready to start recording, click this button.

When you select the record button, a countdown timer will appear, giving you a three-second delay between clicking the button and starting your recording.

You can now start recording your voiceover narration! Continue through the presentation by clicking the right arrow to go to the next slide.

You can pause the recording at any time by pressing the pause button in the top-left corner of the window. The recording will automatically end when you make it to the last slide. Alternatively, you can press the stop button, also located at the top-left corner of the screen.

If you want to play your narration back, you can select the replay button.

A speaker icon will appear at the bottom-right corner of each slide that has a recorded narration. You can also play your narration back on each slide by hovering over the icon and pressing the play button.

If you’re not satisfied with the narration, simply repeat these steps to re-record.

• Start the presentation and see your notes in Presenter view Article
• Add speaker notes to your slides Article
• Rehearse and time the delivery of a presentation Article
• Record a slide show with narration and slide timings Article
• Print your PowerPoint slides, handouts, or notes Article
• Create a self-running presentation Article

Record a slide show with narration and slide timings

You can record your PowerPoint presentation—or a single slide—and capture voice, ink gestures, and your video presence. When completed, it’s like any other presentation. You can play it for your audience in a Slide Show or you can save the presentation as a video file. So, instead of just “handing the deck” to someone, people can see your presentation with the passion and personality intact. 

A new feature for Microsoft 365 was rolled out in early 2022. Exactly when your business has this feature is also based on when your admin distributes new features in Microsoft 365.

This article contains procedures for both the new experience and the classic experience:

New experience

Classic experience

All recording tools are in the  Record  tab in the ribbon, but you can start by selecting the  Record  button. 

You can also record by selecting one of the options in the Record section of the Record tab.

If you have notes in your presentation, they’re turned into text at the top of the screen so you can use them like a teleprompter as you record.  

Tip:  Use the auto-scroll feature in teleprompter and set it to scroll at your preferred speed.

There are several options you can use when you record a presentation. You can turn your camera and microphone on or off by selecting the icons at the top. There are several options you can use when you record a presentation. You can turn your camera and microphone on or off by selecting the icons at the top. To change your camera or microphone, choose the  Select more options  <···> icon. You can even add a customizable camera that can be resized, repositioned, and formatted to go with your slide content. Select Edit , then select Cameo . Adjust the formatting for the camera, then select Record again to return  to the recording environment. 

In the  Select the camera mode  menu, you can select Show Background  or  Blur Background .

You can also change the layout in the  Views menu to switch between  Teleprompter ,  Presenter View , or  Slide View .

When you’re ready, select  Start recording  and a countdown will begin.

Use the onscreen laser, colored pens, or highlighters in the tray below markup slides and it’ll record as well.

To record narration for a specific slide, use the previous or next arrows.

Note:  Narration won’t record during slide transitions so let those play first before you start speaking. 

Pause  the recording as needed or select  Stop  if you’re done.

To review the video, select the  Play  button. 

To quickly delete and re-record your video on current slide or on all slides, select Delete . While Clear  will delete the recorded narration, Reset to Cameo  additionally replaces the recorded narration with the camera feed for an easy retake.  

When you’re done, select  Export  >  Export Video .

After you successfully export the video, you can view the video by selecting View and share video .

At any time, you can return to your document by selecting the  Edit  button.  

Want more? 

About Record in PowerPoint

Create a self-running presentation   

Export or turn your presentation into a video

Classic experience

Turn on the Recording tab of the ribbon: On the File tab of the ribbon, click  Options . In the Options  dialog box, click the Customize Ribbon  tab on the left. Then, in the right-hand box that lists the available ribbon tabs, select the Recording  check box. Click OK .

To get ready to record, select Record on either the Recording  tab or the Slide Show  tab of the ribbon.

Clicking the upper half of the button starts you on the current slide.

Clicking the lower half of the button gives you the option to start from the beginning or from the current slide.

(The Clear  command deletes narrations or timings, so be careful when you use it. Clear  is grayed out unless you have previously recorded some slides.)

The slide show opens in the Recording window (which looks similar to Presenter view), with buttons at the top left for starting, pausing, and stopping the recording. Click the round, red button (or press R on your keyboard) when you are ready to start the recording. A three-second countdown ensues, then the recording begins.

The current slide is shown in the main pane of the Recording window.

You can stop the recording any time by pressing Alt + S on your keyboard.

Navigation arrows on either side of the current slide allow you to move to the previous and next slides.

PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 automatically records the time you spend on each slide, including any Animate text or objects  steps that occur, and the use of any triggers on each slide.

You can record audio or video narration as you run through your presentation. The buttons at the lower-right corner of the window allow you to toggle on or off the microphone, camera, and camera preview:

If you use the pen, highlighter, or eraser, PowerPoint records those actions for playback also.

If you re-record your narration (including audio and ink), PowerPoint erases your previously recorded narration (including audio and ink) before you start recording again on the same slide.

You can also re-record by going to Slide Show  >  Record .

You can pick a pointer tool (pen, eraser, or highlighter) from the array of tools just below the current slide. There are also color selection boxes for changing the color of the ink. ( Eraser  is grayed out unless you have previously added ink to some slides.)

To end your recording, select the square Stop button (or press S on your keyboard).

When you finish recording your narration, a small picture appears in the lower-right corner of the recorded slides. The picture is an audio icon, or, if the web camera was on during the recording, a still image from the webcam.

The recorded slide show timing is automatically saved. (In Slide Sorter view, the timings are listed beneath each slide.)

In this process, what you record is embedded in each slide, and the recording can be played back in Slide Show. A video file is not created by this recording process. However, if you need one, you can save your presentation as a video with a few extra steps.

Preview the recorded slide show

On the Slide Show  tab, click From Beginning  or From Current Slide .

During playback, your animations, inking actions, audio and video will play in sync.

Preview the recorded sound

In the Recording window, the triangular Play  button near the top left corner lets you preview the recording of the slide that currently has the focus in that window.

In Normal view, click the sound icon or picture in the lower-right corner of the slide, and then click Play . (When you preview individual audio in this way, you won't see recorded animation or inking.)

You can pause playback while previewing the audio.

Set the slide timings manually

PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 automatically records your slide timings when you add narrations, or you can manually set the slide timings to accompany your narrations.

In Normal view, click the slide that you want to set the timing for.

On the Transitions tab, in the Timing group, under Advance Slide , select the After check box, and then enter the number of seconds that you want the slide to appear on the screen. Repeat the process for each slide that you want to set the timing for.

If you want the next slide to appear either when you click the mouse or automatically after the number of seconds that you enter—whichever comes first—select both the On Mouse Click and the After check boxes.

You can use manual slide timings to the trim the end of a recorded slide segment. For example, if the end of a slide segment concludes with two seconds of unnecessary audio, simply set the timing for advancing to the next slide so that it happens before the unnecessary audio. That way you don't have to re-record the audio for that slide.

Delete timings or narration

The Clear command is for deleting timings or narration from your recording that you don't want or that you want to replace.

In the Recording window, the Clear command in the top margin of the window allows you to:

Clear recordings on the current slide

Clear recordings on all slides

In Normal view, there are four different Clear commands that allow you to:

Delete the timings on the currently selected slide

Delete the timings on all slides at once

Delete the narration on the currently selected slide

Delete the narration on all slides at once

If you do not want to delete all the timings or narration in your presentation, open a specific slide that has a timing or narration that you do want to delete.

On the Recording tab of the PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 ribbon, on the Record Slide Show button, click the down arrow, point to Clear , and then choose the appropriate Clear command for your situation.

Turn off timings or turn off narrations, and ink

After you've recorded your PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 presentation, any timings, gestures, and audio you performed are saved on the individual slides. But you can turn them all off if you want to view the slide show without them:

To turn off recorded slide timings: On the Slide Show tab, clear the Use Timings box.

To turn off recorded narrations and ink: On the Slide Show tab, clear the Play Narrations box.

Publish the recording to share it with others

Once you've edited the recording to your satisfaction, you can make it available to others by publishing to Microsoft Stream.

With the presentation open, on the Recording tab, select Publish to Stream .

Type a title and a description for the video.

Set other options, including whether you want others in your organization to have permission to see the video.

Select the Publish button.

The upload process can take several minutes, depending on the length of the video. A status bar at the bottom of the PowerPoint window tracks the progress, and PowerPoint shows a message when the upload is finished:

Click the message to go directly to the video playback page on Microsoft Stream.

Create closed captions

To make your video more accessible by including closed captions, choose from these options, which are described in separate Help articles:

Manually write a closed caption file yourself

Get a closed-caption file automatically generated by Microsoft Stream

Once you have a closed-caption file, you can add it to your video file by using PowerPoint .

Record a slide show

With your presentation open, on the Slide Show tab, click Record Slide Show .

(The Clear command deletes narrations or timings, so be careful when you use it. Clear is grayed out unless you have previously recorded some slides.)

In the Record Slide Show box, check or clear the boxes for your recording, and click Start Recording .

More about these options:

Slide and animation timings : PowerPoint automatically records the time you spend on each slide, including any animation steps that occur, and the use of any triggers on each slide.

Narrations, ink, and laser pointer: Record your voice as you run through your presentation. If you use the pen, highlighter, eraser, or laser pointer, PowerPoint records those for playback as well.

Important:    Pen, highlighter, and eraser recording are available only if you have the February 16, 2015 update for PowerPoint 2013 or a later version of PowerPoint installed. In earlier versions of PowerPoint, pen and highlighter strokes are saved as ink annotation shapes.

At the top left corner of the window is the Recording toolbar, which you can use to:

If you re-record your narration (including audio, ink, and laser pointer), PowerPoint erases your previously recorded narration (including audio, ink, and laser pointer) when you start recording again on the same slide.

You can also re-record by going to Slide Show > Record Slide Show .

To use ink, eraser, or the laser pointer in your recording, right-click the slide, click Pointer options , and pick your tool:

Laser Pointer

Highlighter

Eraser (This option is grayed out unless you have previously added ink to some slides.)

To change the color of the ink, click Ink Color .

To end your recording, right-click the final slide, and click End Show .

Tip:  When you finish recording your narration, a sound icon appears in the lower-right corner of each slide that has narration.

The recorded slide show timings are automatically saved. Timings are shown in Slide Sorter view just beneath each slide.

In this process, what you record is embedded in each slide, and the recording can be played back in Slide Show. A video file is not created by this recording process. However, if you want a video file, you can save your presentation as a video with a few extra steps.

On the Slide Show tab, click From Beginning or From Current Slide.

During playback, your animations, inking actions, laser pointer, audio and video play in sync.

Preview the recorded audio

In Normal view, click the sound icon in the lower-right corner of the slide, and then click Play.

PowerPoint automatically records your slide timings when you add narrations, or you can manually set the slide timings to accompany your narrations.

On the Transitions tab, in the Timing group, under Advance Slide , select the After check box, and then enter the number of seconds indicating how long the slide should appear on the screen. Repeat the process for each slide that you want to set the timing for.

Tip:  If you want the next slide to appear either when you click the mouse or automatically after the number of seconds that you enter—whichever comes first—select both the On Mouse Click and the After check boxes.

The Clear command is for deleting timings or narration from your recording that you don't want or that you want to replace. There are four different Clear commands that allow you to:

On the Slide Show tab of the PowerPoint ribbon, on the Record Slide Show button, click the down arrow, point to Clear, and then choose the appropriate Clear command for your situation.

Turn off timings or turn off narrations, ink, and laser pointer

After you've recorded your PowerPoint presentation, any timings, gestures, and audio you performed are saved on the individual slides. But you can turn them all off if you want to view the slide show without them:

To turn off recorded narrations, ink, and the laser pointer: On the Slide Show tab, clear the Play Narrations box.

Turn your mouse into a laser pointer

Animate text or objects

Turn your presentation into a video

Create a self-running presentation

Record your presentation

Toggle video and audio options in the options  dropdowns in the recording toolbar.

Note:  Your video will be re-recorded just as you had styled. 

After you exit Recording Studio with the  Esc  key (or by clicking  End show ) you will see narration (audio/video) applied to your slide along with the proper slide timings and ink animations. 

Tip:  Audio, video, and inking elements can all be resized and moved in edit view after recording. 

Reset to Cameo 

To delete your recording and retain your camera style, do the following: 

On the Record tab, select Reset to Cameo .

Clear timings or narration 

On the Record tab, select Clear Recording

Keyboard shortcuts during the recording process

Related information.

Present with Cameo

Save a presentation as a movie file or MP4

Record audio in PowerPoint for Mac

Add or delete audio in your presentation

Prepare to record

To begin, open the presentation you want and click the Slide Show tab.

Tip:     If your presentation has a lot of slides, you might find it more convenient to work in Slide Sorter view. Click View > Slide Sorter to try it out.

Here are some things to check before you begin recording:

If you want to record only part of your slide deck, do one of the following before you begin:

Select the slides you don't want to include, and click Hide Slide .

Click Custom Show > Custom Slide Show > + (add).

Use the Rehearse button to change the timing between slides without affecting the narration or gestures you've already recorded.

Make sure your microphone is set up correctly. On the Mac, go to System Preferences > Sound .

Record your slide show

If you want to add narration or commentary to the slide show, make sure your microphone is set up and working.

To start recording:

Click the Slide Show tab, select the slide where you want the recording to begin, and then click Record Slide Show .

During recording, use Ctrl+click to access the recording commands that let you navigate through the slides, change cursors, or trigger screen blackouts or whiteouts.

Click End Show to stop recording.

A Save dialog box appears. Click Yes to save your recording, or No if you want to record it again.

Saving overwrites anything you've previously recorded. If you want to record another slide show with the same set of slides, save your presentation file with a different name.

Click Play from Start to preview your recording.

You may want to print this list of keyboard shortcuts to refer to while you're recording:

Set playback options

When you've finished recording and are ready to distribute the presentation, click Set up Slide Show and choose the options that are right for your audience.

Show type     Show full screen or windowed.

Show options     Turn off narration or animations.

Slides     Choose a subset of slides, or a Custom show if you've set one up.

Advance slides     Set up this version of the slide show so someone can page through it manually.

Add, change, or remove transitions between slides

Start the presentation and see your notes in Presenter view

We're sorry. PowerPoint for the web doesn't support recording a slide show.

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

How to do a voiceover on a PowerPoint presentation and add pre-recorded audio to your slides

• You can record a voiceover in PowerPoint and insert it into your next presentation using the software's Audio recording feature through the Insert menu.
• Recording and inserting a voiceover into PowerPoint is a relatively similar process on an Apple Macbook and Windows PC.  
• Once you've recorded your audio, you can click the microphone icon that appears on your slide and playback your recording. 
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

Public speaking is a valid and common fear. And although you might be trying to hone your public speaking with your free time at home , there's a way you can incorporate your voice into your next PowerPoint presentation without the pressure of speaking on the spot.

How? Microsoft PowerPoint has a feature that lets you create narration for all slides as you see fit. This way, you can record — and re-record — voiceovers for your presentations that won't make you cringe.

The process is virtually identical for both Mac and PC users and you can use your computer's built-in mic or a headset. Whatever your operating system of choice is, easily record narration over a PowerPoint slide in a few quick steps. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Microsoft office (from $149.99 at best buy), apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart).

SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless Headset (From $92.49 at Amazon)

How to record a voiceover for PowerPoint on a PC

1. Open a new or existing or presentation in PowerPoint.

2. From the top toolbar, select "Insert."

3. Toward the far right side, click "Audio."

4. Choose "Record Audio…"

5. Name your audio file. 

6. Click the circle icon when you're ready to start recording.

7. Select "OK" when you're done recording.

8. A microphone icon will indicate the narration has been added to the slide. 

How to record a voiceover for PowerPoint on a Mac

1. Open a new or existing or presentation in PowerPoint for Mac.

2. Find and select "Insert" from the top toolbar. 

4. Select "Record Audio…"

5. Name the audio file, and click the circle icon when you're ready to start recording.

6. Click "Insert" when you're ready to finalize.

7. You can click the microphone icon on the slide to hear your recording.  

Related coverage from Tech Reference :

How to download and access microsoft powerpoint on your mac computer, how to add a border to slides in powerpoint, and give your slideshow a sleek design, how to change and format the background of your powerpoint slides to custom designs, how to change your language settings in microsoft powerpoint in 3 different ways, how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow.

Insider Inc. receives a commission when you buy through our links.

Watch: Apple just launched a $6,000 Mac Pro, available this fall

• Main content

• Editor's Choice: Tech Gifts for Mom
• Apple Event: What to Expect

How to Do a Voiceover on PowerPoint

Narrate your presentations with ease

• Central Washington University

What to Know

• Single slide: Select a slide. Go to Insert > Audio > Record Audio . Type a name, select Record , then read your script. Select Stop .
• Entire slideshow: Select View > Normal and choose the first slide. Select Slide Show > Record Slide Show > Record from Current Slide .
• To review the recording, click the sound indicator (it looks like a speaker) and then select Play to hear your recording.

This article explains how to record a voiceover on PowerPoint for a single slide or for the entire slideshow. The instructions apply to PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 , PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, and PowerPoint 2013.

How to Record a Voiceover for a Single Slide

Before narrating your PowerPoint presentation, be prepared:

• You’ll need a microphone attached to, or built into, your computer. Test the microphone to make sure it is working. Set the sound level so your audio is easy to hear.
• Prepare yourself for the narration. Write a script you can follow while recording the voiceover. Practice the presentation a couple of times so your voiceover will sound smooth.
• Decide whether to record the voiceover one slide at a time or record a voiceover for the entire presentation in one go.

The simplest way to record audio for a voiceover is to record one slide at a time. To get started, select the slide where you want to add the narration, then go to Insert > Audio > Record Audio .

Here’s how to record a voiceover on the slide:

Type a Name for the voiceover narration.

Select Record (the button with a red dot).

Read your script or ad-lib the narration.

Select Stop when you’re finished recording.

The Record Sound dialog box disappears, and a speaker indicating sound appears in the center of the slide.

To review the recording, click that sound indicator and then select Play to hear your recording.

When you're finished, click anywhere outside the playback controls to accept the recording.

You’ll see an audio icon in the middle of the slide. Move this icon anywhere on the slide to get it out of the way of other elements on the slide.

How to Record a Voiceover for an Entire Presentation

The voiceover for the entire presentation can be recorded at one time. In addition to recording a voiceover, you can record a video of yourself giving your presentation.

To set up your presentation when you want to narrate an entire slideshow:

Select View > Normal

Select the first slide in the presentation where you want to record audio.

Select Slide Show > Record Slide Show > Record from Current Slide .

In PowerPoint 2019, the Recording window opens.

In PowerPoint 2016 and earlier versions, a Record Slide Show dialog box prompts you for further options. In the Record Slide Show box, select options to set up the slideshow:

• Slide and animation timings: When recording, PowerPoint automatically tracks the timing of slide changes and any animations that occur.
• Narrations, ink, and laser pointer: When recording, PowerPoint automatically tracks when narrations, any inking, or laser pointing occurs.

Leave both checked to make automating your slideshow easier.

Select Record .

In PowerPoint 2016, select Start Recording .

Select Pause to temporarily stop the recording if you need a break.

If you made a mistake and want to start over, select Clear > Clear Recordings.

In PowerPoint 2016 select Clear > Clear Recordings on Current Slide .

When you’ve finished recording a slide, select the Advance button to advance to the next slide or press the spacebar on your keyboard.

When you’re done recording your narration on the slide, select Stop and close the recording window to return to the presentation.

You may have noticed some controls at the bottom left side of the screen. These are a few controls to aid you in your presentation.

These handy handy tools include the Laser Pointer , Highlighter , and Eraser . As you advance through your presentation, mark or highlight parts of your slides as you narrate. PowerPoint records the timing of these marks (if you left the boxes checked) to go along with your narration. Likewise, using the laser pointer shows a simulated red laser dot so that you can point out different things on your slides as you narrate your presentation.

How to Listen to the Recorded Voiceover

Once you’ve recorded your narration, you can go back to the slides and listen to your voiceover.

Here’s how to play a narration:

Select the slide containing the voiceover you want to hear.

Look for the recording icon on the slide. It should appear as either a small video screenshot or a speaker icon on the slide.

Hover over select this icon and then click Play to preview the recording.

How to Turn a Voiceover Off

If you don’t want to hear your narrations when playing a slideshow, but want to keep the narrations with the slide, turn voiceover off.

To turn voiceover off, select Slide Show and click to deselect the Play Narrations checkbox.

How to Delete a Voiceover

There are a couple of ways to delete voiceover audio in your presentation. To delete the audio on a single slide, find and select the recording on that slide, then press the Delete key.

To delete the voiceover from all the slides in a presentation: Select Slide Show and then select the down arrow to open the Record Slide Show menu. Then, select Clear Narration on All Slides .

Embedding Versus Linking Audio Files in PowerPoint

When you use the PowerPoint tools to record a voiceover narration, the audio file is embedded in PowerPoint. This means the audio is part of the PowerPoint file and not stored in a separate file, making it easy to play your presentation on any device.

If you have audio you recorded using other software and it's stored on your computer, you can link to the audio file. Linked files keep your presentation size smaller, but links can be broken if the audio file isn't available to the PowerPoint presentation. To prevent broken links, store the presentation file and the audio files in the same folder on your computer.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• How to Add Audio to PowerPoint
• How to Make a Slideshow on PowerPoint
• Adding Sounds, Music or Narration to PowerPoint Slide Shows
• How to Get PowerPoint on a Mac
• Edit Music, Sound, or Other Audio Settings in PowerPoint
• How to Make and Add Your Own Sound on TikTok
• Loop a PowerPoint Slide Show
• How to Convert PowerPoint to Video
• How to Use Speaker Notes in PowerPoint
• Change Order of Animations for PowerPoint Slides
• How to Add Music to PowerPoint
• How to Change a Black-and-White Picture to Color in PowerPoint
• How to Add Page Numbers in PowerPoint
• Create Family Trees Using PowerPoint Organization Chart
• Using Design Themes in PowerPoint
• Add, Delete or Change the Order of PowerPoint Slides

Home Blog Google Slides Tutorials How to do a Voiceover on Google Slides

How to do a Voiceover on Google Slides

Google Slides is often used to share presentations online. Sometimes, these presentations can be confusing for the recipient unless there is additional information that can help elaborate each slide. While Google Slides, unlike PowerPoint, does not allow recording a voiceover to narrate your slides, you can insert separately recorded audio files to your slides to generate a narration.

Google Slides Voice-Over Recording

You can record your voice-over recordings and save them to a folder in Google Drive to insert in slides via New > File Upload. Google Slides does not support many audio formats, so make sure your narration is in MP3 or WAV format. Otherwise, the file will not show up when you try to insert it in Google Slides.

We recommend that you keep a naming convention for your files that makes them easy to identify so that you can conveniently incorporate them for relevant slides later on.

It is necessary to ensure that your audio files are not restricted. Select one or more files and select Share via right-click context menu.

Ensure all files are accessible via the link for recipients with at least View Only privileges. This will ensure that your audience is able to play the audio from within the Google Slides file. Otherwise, the audio icon will show a message asking the viewer to request access to the audio file.

How to Narrate Google Slides

Once your audio files have been uploaded to Google Slides, and you have unrestricted the sharing of those files, go to your Google Slides Theme and add audio for each slide via Insert > Audio .

Select the audio file with the narration to insert into the current slide and drag it to place it in the desired location on the slide.

After the audio file has been added, you can click to preview the sound. Furthermore, you can customize audio playback options to play the audio automatically or manually, in a loop, and to stop the audio when the slide changes.

To customize the look of the way your audio icon appears on the slide, see the menus below the Audio playback menu on the right sidebar. Using these options, you can adjust the audio icon’s size, position, and color and add a drop shadow and reflection.

Once your narrations are added to respective slides, you can share your presentation and enable the recipients to listen to the narration on each slide automatically or manually (based on your playback settings).

Audio narrations can only be helpful if they are clear and concise, with good voice quality. If you are struggling with context, you can write a script for each slide and read from it to make your narrative more focused.

Make sure you record your narrations in a place where there isn’t any background noise, or you have a noise cancellation headset to cancel out unwanted sounds in the background. It’s always a good idea to playback and check the voice narrations for sound and contextual clarity.

Since Google Slides supports only MP3 or WAV audio formats, you might need to convert your audio narrations to another format before uploading them to Google Drive. You can also use CloudConvert or other Google Drive-supported apps to make conversions from the cloud.

Like this article? Please share

Google Slides, Presentation Approaches, Presentation Ideas, Presentation Skills Filed under Google Slides Tutorials

Related Articles

Filed under Google Slides Tutorials • May 3rd, 2024

How to Work with Google Slides Version History

Go back to previous changes or check who edited your presentation. Learn how to work with Google Slides Version History here.

Filed under Design , Presentation Ideas • May 1st, 2024

The Power of Mind Map Note Taking for Presenters

Add a new tool to your repertoire of presentation skills by mastering the art of mind map note taking. An ideal process to facilitate content retention.

Filed under Google Slides Tutorials • April 29th, 2024

Best Google Slides Add-Ons

Optimize your Google Slides experience by installing the best Google Slides add-ons available in the market. Full list with photos.

Leave a Reply

Blog > Record voice narration for PowerPoint

Record voice narration for PowerPoint

01.11.21   •  #presentation #powerpoint #voiceover #narration.

In this blog post, you'll learn how you can add a narration for your PowerPoint presentation. Adding audio or video narration can be very helpful, especially in a time where many seminars and meetings have to be conducted online. If you would rather give your presentation using a live stream (which has many benefits), scroll down to the bottom and learn how you can do that!

Here's what you need for recording:

• a microphone (your computer's microphone should do)
• a finished set of PowerPoint slides
• a video camera (only if you want to record video as well)

• Open your PowerPoint presentation or create a new one.
• In the taskbar, select Slide Show . Then click Record Slide Show .
• Choose the option Record from Beginning .

• You'll now get to a different view, which we'll call "Recorder View". Here's an overview:

• In the bottom right corner, you'll see three icons. The one on the left is for switching the microphone on/off. Make sure this function is turned on. The icon in the middle is for turning on/off your camera. You can choose if you want to switch the video recording on or not. The last icon is only available if you've chosen the video recording function. If the function is enabled, you'll be able to see a video preview.
• In the top right corner under "Settings", you can choose what microphone (and camera) you'd like to use. This is only relevant if you have an external recording device that you would like to use. If you're recording with your computer, you don't have to set anything here.
• Now it's time to record. Click the big red Record button on the top left and start speaking.
• Tip: You can either record all the slides at once without pressing pause, or you record each slide individually, then click pause, then go on to the next slide and record again. However, it's important to note that PowerPoint creates an individual audio file for each slide, even if you record all at once.
• Important : PowerPoint does not record during transitions, so only speak when you're on a slide.

• You can also draw on your slides with the painting tools on the bottom. These drawings will be saved to your presentations.
• On the bottom left corner, you'll see what slide you're on. You can also see two time counts. The first one is for the recording on the current slide, the second one is for the recording of the presentation overall.
• If you want to delete the whole voiceover, click Clear and Clear Recordings on all Slides . If you only want to delete the recording on the specific slide you are on, click Clear Recording on current Slide.
• If you want to re-record the audio from one slide after deleting it, just go to that slide and click Record again. Record what you want to say, then click Stop when you're done.
• Once you're done, leave the Recorder View. Click the small x in the top right corner or hit Esc .
• You can now either save the presentation as a regular PowerPoint file (just click Save and you're done) or as a video. If you'd like a video, follow the instructions below:

Save Presentation as Video

• Go to File in the PowerPoint taskbar

• Choose Export on the left, then Create a Video .

• Select the quality you'd like. We recommend Full HD (1080p).
• In the following drop-down menu, make sure Use Recorded Timings and Narrations is selected.

• The setting Seconds spent on each slide is only for the slides where there is no recording (if you have recordings on all of your slides, you can just ignore this setting.)
• Click Create Video and choose where the video should be saved. The video creation might take a while, so don't close PowerPoint right away!

Live interaction with polls & quizzes

If you prefer to give a talk where you can also interact with your audience, then the free software SlideLizard is the ideal solution! Using live polls , Q&A and feedback , your presentations will become even more exciting and interactive. SlideLizard integrates directly with PowerPoint, making it a breeze to use.

Can I record a presentation in PowerPoint?

Yes, PowerPoint also allows you to record your presentation with voice and video narration. You can read about how this works in our blog .

How can I record a presentation in PowerPoint with audio and video?

At first create your presentation. For the recording you will need a microphone (the one on your computer should do), your finished presentation and a video camera (if you also want to record a video). We have created a tutorial on our blog where you can read the further steps.

Related articles

About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

Get 1 Month for free!

Do you want to make your presentations more interactive.

With SlideLizard you can engage your audience with live polls, questions and feedback . Directly within your PowerPoint Presentation. Learn more

Top blog articles More posts

SlideLizard 1.6 Update

Best Sources for free Icons to use in PowerPoint Presentations

Get started with Live Polls, Q&A and slides

for your PowerPoint Presentations

The big SlideLizard presentation glossary

.potx file extension.

A .potx file is a file which contains, styles, texts, layouts and formatting of a PowerPoint (.ppt) file. It's like a template and useful if you want to have more than one presentation with the same formatting.

Slide Master

To create your own Template in PowerPoint it is best to use the Slide Master. After updating the Slide Master with your design, all slides (fonts, colours, images, …) adapt to those of the Slide Master.

Valedictory Speech

A valedictory speech is given in order to say goodbye, usually at graduation. It should inspire listeners and functions as a send-off into "real life".

Audience Dynamics

Audience Dynamics means the motivations, attitudes, beliefs and values, which influence the listener's behaviour.

Be the first to know!

The latest SlideLizard news, articles, and resources, sent straight to your inbox.

- or follow us on -

We use cookies to personalize content and analyze traffic to our website. You can choose to accept only cookies that are necessary for the website to function or to also allow tracking cookies. For more information, please see our privacy policy .

Cookie Settings

Necessary cookies are required for the proper functioning of the website. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information about the number of visitors, etc.

Critical PowerPoint Shortcuts – Claim Your FREE Training Module and Get Your Time Back!

How to Narrate a PowerPoint Presentation (Step-by-Step)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Shortcuts & Hacks
• October 29, 2019

In this article you’ll learn how to narrate a PowerPoint, with either just your voice or using the new video narration feature.

Firstly, there are two different tools you can use to narrate your PowerPoint slides.

#1: Record Audio  is the legacy PowerPoint narration tool. Although this tool doesn’t have as many features, it is faster to open and use, and is handy if you want to drop a voice note on a slide.

Features of this tool include:

• Voice narration only
• Adds narration to one slide at a time only

#2: Record Slide Show  is the NEWEST (and best) narration tool in PowerPoint, giving you two different types of narration options plus a variety of other options.

The features here are:

• Voice narration
• Video narration (so your audience can also see your face)
• Allows you to narrate an entire presentation in one sitting
• Automatically sets slide timings for you if you later want to convert PowerPoint into a video

And before you get lost in either tool, let’s cover a few things which will help you out (trust me).

Narration definition in PowerPoint

In PowerPoint, narration simply means recording your presentation as you walk someone through it, so that you can easily share the whole thing with someone else.

On top of that, if you get creative, you can use your narrated PowerPoint files to:

• Share your presentation with team members around the world
• Create a library of best practices for your company
• Build training materials for new hires

1. You don’t need fancy recording equipment

Don’t let fancy equipment or a professional recording studio hold you back from narrating your presentation. For most situations, using the built-in microphone on your personal computer is enough.

For example, if you are doing something relatively informal, such as walking a colleague through something in PowerPoint, the quality of your audio doesn’t need to be extremely high.

If you are creating training materials or giving an important presentation, I recommend getting a decent USB microphone (you can see a list of top rated microphones  here ).

That’s because they will help remove any background noise.

2. Find a quiet space and tell people you are recording

Regardless of the quality of your microphone, I recommend finding the quietest place possible to record your narration and let everyone know not to bother you.

When evaluating a quiet place, here are some things to be careful of and to spot check:

• Noisy air conditioners or refrigerators
• Street noise (cars, planes or pedestrians)
• Loud background office or cafe noise
• Cell phones, doorbells or other pinging noises
• Your kids playing in the background

For instance – imagine you are in the middle of narrating your presentation. All of a sudden a colleague knocks on your door or the doorbell rings, and you’re interrupted. It’s not the end of the world, but it will throw you off and likely annoy you.

In addition, if there is too much background noise (like a running air conditioner), the noise can be very distracting to whoever is watching the recording.

3. Check your microphone

The last thing you want to do is walk through your entire presentation, and then discover that your microphone wasn’t working.

Therefore, before narrating your PowerPoint, I recommend double-checking your recording equipment every time before you hit record. This includes ensuring that your equipment is properly plugged in (it happens).

• Right-click  the speaker icon in the task bar (lower right-hand corner of your desktop)
• Select  Open Sound settings
• Choose your  Input  device
• Click on  Troubleshoot  under  T est and troubleshoot

Note:  If you don’t see the audio bar filling up with color as you talk, that means that your input device is either not selected or not properly connected.

• Connect all your audio and video equipment to your computer
• Restart your computer: Start, Power, Restart

#1. Record audio (audio narration only)

While this is the legacy narration tool in PowerPoint, I want to cover it first.

That’s because even if you decide not to use it to narrate your PowerPoint presentation, it is extremely useful for dropping voice notes on your slides.

When used this way, you can quickly capture your thoughts and ideas about a slide without having to get bogged down editing or building it out on the spot.

Below I’ve detailed how to use this tool to narrate PowerPoint slides.

1. Open the Record Sound dialog box

To open the  Record Sound  dialog box, simply:

• Navigate to the  Insert  tab
• Open the  Audio  drop down
• Select  Record Audio

Keep in mind that you can only narrate one slide at a time using this tool. Hence why it’s great for dropping voice notes on a slide, one by one.

2. Record your audio narration

Inside the  Record Sound  dialog box you can narrate your PowerPoint slide. Simply:

• Type in a  Name  for your Audio Clip
• Select the  Record  button (the red dot) to begin narrating
• Click  Stop  (the square) to stop your narration
• Hit  Play  (the triangle) to listen to your narration
• Click  OK  to save the narration to your slide

As a result, you will see a little audio object added to your slide that you can move around and resize if you like.

The audio file can also be played (simply click on the play icon) in both the  Normal View  and  Slide Show View  of your presentation.

In this way, you can work your way through your presentation, adding voice notes to your PowerPoint slides that you or your colleagues can play back from within your presentation.

To learn all about adding music to PowerPoint and how to loop your audio files,  read our article here .

3. Playing your PowerPoint narration

By default, your audio file will be set to play  In Click Sequence  (explained below).

That means it will be added at the end of any animation sequences, trigger actions, etc.. If you don’t have any of these on your slide, it will automatically play when you to to advance to the next slide.

All you need to do is advance your slide (click, hit the space bar or arrow keys, etc.) and it will play.

To change when your audio file plays, simply:

• Select your  Audio  file
• Navigate to the  Playback  tab
• Open the  Start  drop down
• Choose either  In Click Sequence ,  Automatically  or  When Click On

In Click Sequence  means that your audio file plays as part of the click sequence of actions that happen on your slide. This includes animated sequences, trigger actions, and videos, all of which you can set in the Animations Pane.

If you do not have any sequences set up on your slide, your audio file will play right before you advance to the next slide in your presentation.

Automatically  means your audio file plays as soon as you get to that slide in your presentation, instead of playing right before you advance to the next slide.

When Clicked On  means your audio file will only play if someone clicks on it during the presentation in Slide Show mode. For example, you can use this option for a piece of audio that you may not have the time to play, allowing you to choose in the moment whether to play it or not.

4. Delete or overwrite a previous narration file

To delete an audio file narration, simply select the object on your slide and hit  Delete  on your keyboard.

If you want to overwrite or change an existing narration, simply use the  Record Audio  dialog box again (as described above). Doing so will overwrite the existing audio file on your slide.

Warning:  Two narration audio files cannot exist on a slide at the same time. That means that if you narrate a PowerPoint slide a second time, the first recorded file will be overwritten.

To be clear, that means you will need to start over – from scratch – for the individual slide where you want to change the narration.

While you can trim an audio file in PowerPoint, you cannot split apart or merge different audio files like you could if you used dedicated audio editing software.

#2. Record Slide Show (audio + video narration)

The  Record Slide Show  command is the NEWEST and BEST way to narrate a PowerPoint presentation for a few reasons, including:

• Record both audio and/or video narrations
• Narrate your entire presentation in one sitting (you are not limited to creating slide-by-slide narrations)
• You can use the pen, highlighter and laser pointer commands and have them captured in your narration too
• The tool allows you to pause and restart your recording
• All your slide timings are automatically recorded, allowing you to use them to turn your PowerPoint presentation into a video (see how to do that  here )

In short, unless you have a really good reason not to use the  Record Slide Show  command to narrate your presentation, this is what you should be using.

As you will see below, there are a lot more settings you can toggle on and off, but don’t let this stop your from recording your presentation.

1.  Open the Record Slide Show dialog box

To open the  Record Slide Show  dialog box, simply:

• Navigate to the  Slide Show  tab
• Open the  Record Slide Show  command
• Choose  Record from Beginning

If you simply click the  Record Slide Show  command in the Ribbon (instead of opening up the drop down) it will begin recording from the current slide.

Wait a couple of seconds, and the  Record Slide Show  commands will load, and you can start narrating your presentation.

2. Record your  slide show narration

There are a lot more options you can choose from in the  Slide Show  dialog box that that I will explain below, but recording your narration is still pretty easy and straight forward

To start recording your slide show narration, simply:

• Choose your  Camera  and/or  Microphone
• Make sure your  Camera  and/or  Microphone  is turned on
• Use the  Record ,  Stop  and  Replay  commands to start and stop your narrations
• Use the  Arrow  (or use your arrow keys) to advance to the next slide

Once you start recording, you get the option to pause the recording. This allows you to pause and collect your thoughts whenever you need to, and continue narrating your presentation when you are ready.

When you are finished, the individual video and/or audio file narrations are added to the lower right-hand corners of each individual slide, as you can see below.

As you can see in the picture above, your audio and video narrations are recorded and saved on a slide-by-slide basis. That means you can review and record narrations on any slide within your presentation.

Warning:  You can only have one narration file per slide.

If you re-record an audio or video narration, it automatically overwrites any previous narrations you had on that slide.

The only way to have two different narration files on the same slide, is to record one with the  Record Slide Show  dialog box, and record the second with the  Record Audio  command.

3. Set your narration to Play

Your  Record Slide Show  narrations are set to play  Automatically .

That means that whenever you run your presentation (from beginning or from current), your audio and/or video narration will automatically play.

To change when your audio or video narration plays, simply:

• Select the  Narration  file on your slide
• Choose either  In Click Sequence ,  Automatically  or  When Clicked On

4. Record Slide Show options

Record (or hit R) to start recording your narration.

Pause  (or hit I) to pause your narration and collect your thoughts. This button only displays once you’ve started recording.

Stop  (or hit S) to end your narration. If you hit Record again, your new narration will overwrite the existing one.

If you want to stop narrating your current slide before starting on the next one, don’t use the Stop button. Instead, simply navigate to your next slide using your arrow keys or the forward arrow on screen.

Replay  to replay your narration for the current slide. This button only becomes active after you have recorded a narration for that slide.

B. Speaker Notes options

Notes  (or hit N) to open or close your speaker notes for that slide. The Notes window is fairly small and you cannot resize it very well.

Your action of opening and closing the speaker notes pane will not show up in your recorded narration.

Font Size  commands increase and decrease the font size of your speaker notes so that you can see them better.

In my opinion the speaker notes pane is too small and not flexible enough for reviewing lots of speaker notes.

To learn how to print your speaker notes in PowerPoint,  read our guide here .

C. Clear Recordings options

Clear Recordings  allows you to clear your previous recording on either the current slide or on all the slides in your presentation.

You can also overwrite your recording and slide timings by simply recording over the top of your narrations.

Note:  Using Clear Recordings removes both your slide timings and narrations.

That means that if you want to remove your narrations but keep your slide timings, you will want to clear recordings outside of the  Record Slide Show  dialog box. See how to clear timings and narrations below.

D. Input options: Camera and Microphone

Microphone  allows you to choose which microphone you want to record with. So if you are using a microphone other than your computer’s built-in one, this is where you want to select your microphone before you begin recording your narration.

Camera  allows you to choose which camera or webcam you want to use if you are recording video narrations. If you are using a camera other than your computer’s built-in one, this is where you want to select it before you begin your narration.

E. Advance Slide options

Next Slide  advances the click sequence of your presentation, the same way hitting the right arrow key or clicking your slide with your mouse does.

If you have animated sequences or music that is supposed to play, clicking forwards will trigger those sequences, and eventually advance you to the next slide.

Previous Slide  moves you back one slide in your presentation, but it is only available to you when you are not recording.

That’s because re-recording a narration automatically overwrites the previous narration. So once you start your recording, you can only move forward in your presentation.

F. On / Off: Camera and microphone

Microphone  (on/off) turns your selected microphone on or off. You can turn your microphone off and still click through your presentation if you want to mute your sound in the recording.

Camera  (on/off) turns your selected camera on or off. This allows you to add or remove video recording in your narration.

Camera Preview  displays what your camera is recording during your narration. If seeing yourself onscreen while you narrate your presentation bothers you, simply turn camera preview off.

G. Ink options: Eraser, Pen and Highlighter

The  Pen  (Ctrl + P),  Highlighter  (Ctrl + I),   and Eraser  (Ctrl + E)   allow you to draw and highlight things on your slides during your presentation.

To change the color of your ink, simply click on one of the colors at the bottom of your screen.

Anything that you draw on your slides during your narration will be recorded as you draw them. That means that someone watching the recording will see you draw on the slide, as you narrate your presentation.

H. Slide Timings options

Slide Timings  show you how long you have spent on each slide, and which slide you are on within your presentation.

Therefore, if you are converting your PowerPoint presentation into a video, these slide timings determine how long you spend on each slide.

To learn all about how to convert PowerPoint to video,  read our guide here .

I. Close / Minimize options

Close / Minimize  allows you to close out of (or minimize) the  Record Slide Show  app.

Use the  Close  icon (the x) to exit out of the  Record Slide Show  dialog box and return to the Normal View of your presentation. You can also hit the  Esc  key on your keyboard to close out of the dialog box.

#3. How to clear your Timings and Narrations

To clear your  Timings and Narrations  from the Normal View of PowerPoint, simply:

• Open the  Slide Show  tab
• Open the  Record Slide Show  drop down
• Select  Clear
• Choose the  Timings  or  Narrations  you want to clear

If the  Clear  command is grayed out when you open the  Record Slide Show  drop down, that means that you do not have any  Narrations  or  Timings  (same as for transitions) set for your presentation.

Clear Timing on Current Slide  removes the set transition timing for the current slide.

Clear Timings on All Slides  removes the set transition timings on all the slides within your presentation.

Clear Narration on Current Slides  removes any voice or video narration you’ve recorded on the current slide.

Clear Narration on All Slides  removes any voice or video narrations from your entire presentation.

Note:  You can also clear the  Timings  and  Narrations  for your slides at the same time from inside the  Record Slide Show  dialog box.

Inside the dialog box, simply click the  X  and choose to  Clear Recordings on Current  or  Clear Recordings on All .

#4. How to compress your PowerPoint narrations

Adding audio and video narrations to PowerPoint significantly increases the size of your presentation as you can see in the picture above.

Therefore, I recommend compressing your file after you’re done recording narrations.

After narrating your PowerPoint, you can compress your   audio and video narrations. To do that, simply:

• Navigate to the  File  tab
• Select the  Info  group
• Open the  Compress Media drop-down
• Choose  a compression quality

PowerPoint automatically uses the Full HD (1080p) when recording your voice and video. So if you are tight for space, you will need to choose either the  HD (720p)  or  Standard (480p)  options .

To learn a variety of other ways you can reduce your PowerPoint file size,  read our compression guide here .

That’s how to narrate a PowerPoint, and the different options you have using the  Record Audio  and  Record Slide Show  options.

If you have the latest version of PowerPoint, I highly recommend using the  Record Slide Show  option as it gives you the most options to work with.

Just keep in mind that narrating your PowerPoint with audio and video can greatly increase the size of your presentation. Therefore, you may end up needing to consider compress it.

If you enjoyed this article, you can learn more about how to improve your PowerPoint skills by  visiting us here

What’s Next?

Related articles, about the author.

Popular Tutorials

• How to Strikethrough Text (l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶) in Word, Excel & PowerPoint
• How to Make Animated Fireworks in PowerPoint (Step-by-Step)
• Strikethrough Shortcut (l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶) for Word, Excel & PowerPoint
• How to Create a Flash Card Memory Game in PowerPoint (Like Jeopardy)
• Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working: Solved

PowerPoint Tutorial Categories

• Strategies & Opinions
• Presentation Design
• Pictures, Icons, Videos, Etc.
• New Features
• Miscellaneous
• Charts & Data Viz

We help busy professionals save hours and gain peace of mind, with corporate workshops, self-paced courses and tutorials for PowerPoint and Word.

Work With Us

• Corporate Training
• Presentation & Template Design
• Courses & Downloads
• PowerPoint Articles
• Word Articles
• Productivity Resources

Find a Tutorial

• Free Training
• For Businesses

We help busy office workers save hours and gain peace of mind, with tips, training and tutorials for Microsoft PowerPoint and Word.

Master Critical PowerPoint Shortcuts – Secure Your FREE Training Module and Save Valuable Time!

⌛ Master time-saving expert techniques.

🔥 Create powerful presentations.

🚀 Propel your career to new heights.

We value your privacy – we keep your info safe.

Discover PowerPoint Hacks Loved by Industry Giants - KKR, AmEx, HSBC!

Over 114,880 professionals in finance, marketing and sales have revolutionized their PPT skills with our proven methods. 

Gain FREE access to a full module of our premium PowerPoint training program – Get started today!

We hate spam too and promise to keep your information safe.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Facebook . To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

The Best Way to Add a Voice Over to PowerPoint

Marketing Content Strategist

Table of contents

Why record voice overs for powerpoint, recorded powerpoint presentations are more flexible, forget powerpoint’s built-in recorder — there’s a better way, how to record voice over for powerpoint.

• Pro tip: Edit your video in Camtasia 

Tips for getting great audio

Frequently asked questions, subscribe to techsmith’s newsletter.

Microsoft PowerPoint is generally considered to be little more than a tool for creating and giving live presentations. It can, however, be used to create great content, such as educational and instructional videos — all you have to do is add a voice over. 

Knowing how to do a voice over on PowerPoint is a brilliant way to transform a bunch of slides into a dynamic piece of professional content that can reach audiences far beyond the conference room. While PowerPoint comes with a built-in presentation recorder, it’s not without its limitations. But, there is a better way. 

Tools like TechSmith’s Camtasia , ideal for screen recording and video editing, and TechSmith’s Audiate , designed for audio editing, make voiceover work a breeze. In this post, we’ll show you how to harness both of these tools for maximum impact.

Before we dive into the how-to, it’s important to understand why voice overs are so powerful in PowerPoint presentations and how exactly the help to ensure your presentation isn’t boring . So, in this post, we’ll also discuss:

• The importance of voice overs for PowerPoint presentations .
• Step-by-step instructions to record your voice over .
• A practical example to guide you through the process .
• Best practices for achieving high-quality audio .

The shift to digital and remote working, learning, and collaboration has firmly taken root. From Zoom meetings to virtual classrooms, and even messaging platforms like Slack, remote communication has become a normal part of everyday life. This digital transition means that meetings, workshops, employee training, classroom lectures, and presentations are increasingly moving online.

In today’s digital world, delivering your presentation doesn’t always require being there in person. Instead, you have the freedom to rehearse, record, and edit your presentation in advance, ensuring it’s polished before anyone sees it. It also means that your audience can watch your presentation at a time that suits them. 

While this is excellent for perfecting your presentation without the pressure of a live audience, adding a voice over to a recorded presentation can significantly amplify its impact. Imagine a live presentation without the human touch of a voice – it’s like having a deck of slides without the story. There’s a reason why they’re called TED Talks, not just TED Decks.

With your voice breathing life into your PowerPoint, what was once a standard presentation becomes an immersive experience. Whether it’s for an online class, a webinar, or a remote business meeting, your message will resonate more when it’s heard.

As we navigate a world that increasingly blends face-to-face and virtual interactions, the power of a well-narrated presentation can’t be underestimated. It’s about breaking down barriers to communication, reaching people wherever they are, and making sure your message isn’t just delivered but remembered.

The Easiest and Fastest Way to Record and Edit Voice Over for PowerPoint!

Audiate makes recording and editing your voice as simple as editing text in a document.

While live meetings and educational sessions have their place, they require everyone to be in the same place at the same time (even if the place is virtual). That’s fine if all your employees, students, or other audience members are in the same time zone. 

But what if your company has employees all over the world? That 2 p.m. ET meeting at your company’s HQ will take place at midnight for your employees in Sydney, Australia.

Moreover, what about employees, students, or others who have to share technology? Or don’t always have access to high-speed internet? Or the privacy necessary to meet at the appointed time?

By offering your presentation asynchronously (which is just a fancy word for “on-demand”), you give people the flexibility to consume your content when it’s convenient or easier for them. Plus they can consume it at their own pace, they have more opportunities to absorb and understand the information.

That doesn’t mean that synchronous (just a fancy word for “live” or “in-person) meetings, training sessions, classes, etc. aren’t important or useful. It just means that providing your audience with more options gives your content more value.

The first thing you’ll probably notice when you decide to record a voice over for your PowerPoint presentation is that PowerPoint has a built-in recorder. Just click the record presentation button and you’re good to go.

This will get the job done, but it’s not the best way to do it. And you know what they say, “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right”. If, for example, you want to make small edits to your recording at a later stage, you’re going to really regret using PowerPoint’s built-in recorder, as it doesn’t allow you to edit mistakes or verbal flubs. 

With PowerPoint, you only get one take. That means you have to remember what you want to say, advance your slides, and do your best to avoid stumbling — just like if you were doing it in front of a live audience.

Quick-and-dirty recordings work in some cases, but for others — especially anything that will be consumed outside your company —  you might want something a little more professional. Creating an on-demand recorded presentation will let you do exactly that.

Plus, by recording your voice over separately, you can ensure that your recordings are professional and more engaging.

Now, if you’re not going to use PowerPoint’s built-in recorder, what are you going to use? Well, this is where Audiate comes in…

Audiate is, without a doubt, one of the best tools you can use to record and edit a voice over. You’ll find out why in the following steps, but perhaps one of the coolest features of Audiate is that it allows you to edit audio recordings as if they were text files. 

All you have to do is delete the words, sentences, and sounds you don’t want. We’ll tell you all about it shortly, but it’s really easy to use and integrates seamlessly with Camtasia. Best of all you can download a free trial for both Audiate and Camtasia , without giving up your credit card details — just click the links in this sentence!

Okay, so we told you that Audiate is easy to use. And when we say easy, we mean it’s almost ridiculously easy — and we’re going to prove it to you.

1. Start with a script

Whether you’ve created a new presentation or you’re recording one you’ve given a thousand times, writing a script will ensure you know what you want to say, exactly how and when you want to say it. It also helps you stay on topic and remember important points. 

If you already have a slide deck, you can use that as the outline for your script. Then, just write up what you would say to your audience if you were presenting it live.

Of course, if you don’t want to write a full, word-for-word script, even a bulleted list of talking points is better than nothing at all. Trust us, a script will save you a ton of editing time later.

2. Record your audio

Gone are the days when audio recording and editing were reserved for professional audio producers, fraught with complex settings and overwhelming interfaces.

Audiate revolutionizes this process with its simplicity and user-friendliness. Its intuitive UI is designed for ease of use, allowing you to start recording your voice over in just a few seconds. To start, simply hit the Record button and start talking. Audiate will transcribe your audio in real-time, which means your words will appear on screen, as you speak. 

Once you’re done recording, just click Stop, and Audiate will finish transcribing. This process not only makes recording a stress-free experience but also ensures that editing your voice over is super easy. 

3. Edit and export your recording

Everyone makes mistakes or hesitates when recording — even the guy who does all the voice overs for movie trailers. The beauty of Audiate lies in its ability to correct these mishaps. Because Audiate displays your spoken words as text, it eliminates the need to comb through audio waveforms. 

Made a mistake? Just find the word or sentence, highlight it, and delete it. Audiate even offers the option to automatically remove common hesitations like “umms” and “uhhs” in just a few clicks .

Need to rearrange your content? Audiate lets you cut and paste words or entire sections as needed. Adding more audio is just as easy — simply hit Record, and your new audio will be added to the end of the existing file, ready to be cut and pasted wherever you need it to be.

If you plan to add captions to your video (which we recommend you do), be sure to go through the transcription and correct anything that Audiate may have misheard to ensure the text matches what you said.

That’s it, you have now successfully recorded and edited your voice over! All that’s left to do is click the Export button and save it as a .WAV file. You can also click File and Export Script, which will save your transcript as an .SRT file that Camtasia can use to add captions.

In the next section, we’ll show you how to add your edited audio to your video in Camtasia.

Pro tip: Edit your video in Camtasia 

Camtasia is a powerful, but easy-to-use video editor. Even if you’ve never made a video before, you can quickly learn to create professional-quality content — here’s how: 

Import your slides

With Camtasia, you can import PowerPoint slides and insert the audio afterward. No more recording your screen while you run through your slides.

Just click File > Import > Media or, in the Media tab, click the Import Media button and navigate to select your PowerPoint files.

As it stands, Camtasia can’t import presentations made with Google Slides or Apple Keynote. However, if you created your deck in either of those applications, you can save your file as a PowerPoint presentation (.ppt file) and Camtasia can import that instead.

Once you’ve imported your slides, do the same thing for your audio recording.

Add your slides to the timeline

Once your slides and audio are in the Media Bin, drag the audio over to the Timeline. Then, simply add your slides to the Timeline as needed. 

Now you can adjust the slide timing and the amount of time they’re visible to ensure they correlate with what’s being said in your voice over. 

With everything in its right place, you can export and share your video with your audience, but there are a few more things you can do to ensure the audio is as good as it can possibly be…  

Take your video a step further

Use Camtasia’s callouts and other features to add arrows, highlight important information, or otherwise enhance the video experience for your viewers. That’s something you definitely can’t do in PowerPoint.

When you’re ready to add your captions, click Modify and Add Captions to import your captions file. Drag it to the timeline and Camtasia will automatically put the captions in the right spot in your video. 

When you’re satisfied that your video is done, you can save the file locally or upload it to any of Camtasia’s array of destinations, including YouTube, Google Drive, Vimeo, and TechSmith’s Screencast (to name a few).  

Now your video really is ready to be shared with the world!

Just remember that if you ever need to edit or update your video, you can easily go back into Camtasia, replace whatever slides need changing, and import whatever new audio you’ve recorded. If you had recorded your presentation using PowerPoint, you’d have to start from scratch. 

Improving Your Internal Communications

A guide to how visual content can help create a more collaborative and productive work environment.

Now we know you’re ready and raring to get started with your voice over, but we’d be remiss if if we didn’t give you a few pointers on how to record high-quality audio . 

So, before you go, here are a few extra tips: 

• Start with a script . You’ll speak more confidently and you’ll stay on point.
• Use a better mic . Your computer microphone will work in a pinch, but if you really want the best audio (or, if you plan to make more videos), invest in a decent USB microphone. Some of the best microphones for recording videos will probably cost a lot less than you think. 
• Stay hydrated . Your voice sounds better when your vocal chords are nice and hydrated. So, be sure to keep water handy while you’re recording and take a sip when you need to. You can edit out that part later.
• Speak slowly and clearly . When people are nervous they tend to race through whatever they’re trying to say. So, remember to breathe, slow down, and enunciate.

Not at all. With the right tools, you can easily add voice overs to PowerPoint slides and turn your presentation into an engaging educational or informational video!

Not much! A decent microphone and a quiet place to record will go a long way in ensuring your recording sounds great.

While PowerPoint’s built-in recorder works in a pinch, you’ll save your self a lot of time and effort by using a standalone audio recorder like TechSmith’s Audiate.

We highly recommend TechSmith Camtasia. It’s super easy to use and can import PowerPoint slides directly!

Additional Resources

How to generate ai voice: enhancing your workflow with ai, the easiest way to shorten a video for social media, how to get good audio recordings from your home office.

Let’s get you the best deal

• Commercial business
• Educational institution
• 1001 - 5000
• Discuss bulk purchase discounts
• Arrange a meeting with sales representative
• Provide support with new purchase process
• Provide assistance with renewals or upgrades
• Provide assistance with any other enquiry

Thank you! Our sales team will reach out to you soon

1. How to do a voiceover on Google Slides using a voice recorder

2. how to do a voiceover on google slides using a screen recorder, 3. how to do a voiceover on google slides using text-to-speech translation software, bonus: tips to help you get started , how to do a voiceover on google slides: (3 easy ways).

Rithu V - March 7, 2022 Leave your thoughts. -->

How to Add Voiceover on Google Slides , How to Do A Voiceover on Google Slides , How to Make a Voiceover on Google Slides , How to Record a Voiceover on Google Slides , How to Record Narration in Google Slides , How to Voiceover Google Slides

Once you learn how to add voiceovers to your Google Slides presentations, you'll find it to be a valuable skill.

In today's post, we'll guide you through three different methods for incorporating voiceovers into your Google Slides.

• How to add a voiceover on Google Slides using a voice recorder.
• How to add a voiceover on Google Slides using a screen recorder .
• How to add a voiceover to Google Slides using text-to-speech translation software.

In this method, you can record the audio narration separately and add it to your Google Slides presentation. 

As Google Slides doesn't come with a built-in audio recorder, you'd need the help of an external audio/video recording software to record your voiceovers. 

There are many voice recorders available online, such as Rev, Audacity, 123Apps, GarageBand, and Vocaroo . You can choose any of these voice recording tools to get started.

Step 1: Record your voiceovers 

Once you've selected your voice recording tool, practice with a script and record a few demo sessions to perfect your narration. When ready, record your voiceover and download it in either MP3 or WAV format. Since Google Slides supports only these two formats, ensure your audio files are saved accordingly.

Step 2: Upload it to Google Drive

Now, upload the recorded audio file to your Google Drive.

Log in to your Google Drive account, click 'New,' and choose 'File Upload.

The file has now been uploaded to your Google Drive.

Step 3: Make the audio file accessible to everyone

Before attaching the audio file to your Google Slides presentation, you need to ensure it is accessible to everyone.

To do this, right-click on your audio file, select 'Share,' and click 'Change to anyone with the link' so that anyone on the internet can access the file.

Once you've finished, click on 'Done.'

Step 4: Attach the audio file to Google Slides

You can now easily attach the audio file to your Google Slides presentation. Open the Google slide that needs a voiceover.

Click on the 'Insert' option and choose 'Audio'.

Choose the audio file you'd like to add and click on the 'Select' button. 

Once you insert your voiceovers into your Google slide presentation, a speaker icon appears on your slide. Clicking on it will play the audio.

You can also drag the speaker icon and place it anywhere else.

Step 5: Configure settings & watch a preview

With Google Slides, you can customize your audio narrations.

Select the speaker icon and click on the 'Format' option from the toolbar's 'Format' menu. A pop-up box will appear, allowing you to customize your preferences.

Here are some important formatting options available on Google Slides:

• Play automatically : Enable the 'start playing automatically' radio button if you want the audio to play automatically when you open the slide.
• Play on-click : Enable the 'start playing on click' radio button if you want the audio to play only when you click on the speaker icon.
• Loop audio : Enable the 'loop audio' checkbox if you want the audio narration to play on a loop.
• Stop on slide change : Enable the 'stop on slide change' checkbox if you want the audio to stop when you navigate to the next slide.

The second method is one of the easiest among the three.

It allows you to add voice narrations to your Google Slides presentations with a webcam overlay. Once you record yourself presenting, you can freely share it with others.

Numerous screen recording software options are available online. Choose one that best fits your requirements.

When you use a screen recorder for your voiceovers, you can enhance your recording with screen annotations . Additionally, as most screen recording software includes a video editor, you can easily edit unnecessary portions of your voiceovers in one go.

Note : We guide you through this process using Vmaker as it's easy to use and comes with many impressive features.

Step 1: Sign up for Vmaker

Visit Vmaker's official page to create an account. The screen recording software is available as a Chrome plugin, Mac, and Windows application.

The chrome extension can be added to your chrome browser from the ' Chrome Web Store ', while the Mac application can be downloaded from Vmaker's homepage.

Note: The Chrome plugin can be pinned to your browser for easy access to the screen recording software.

Step 2: Start recording the voiceover 

Before you begin recording your voiceover, it's advisable to conduct a few test runs to ensure optimal performance during the actual recording. To do this, log in to your Vmaker account and click on 'Start Recording'.

When you're ready for the actual recording, open the Google Slides presentation that requires a voiceover and initiate the recording process.

To commence the voiceover recording, click on the Vmaker icon in your browser and select ' Start Recording '. 

You can also customize the features according to your preferences.

Step 3: Edit & share

After recording your voiceovers, initiate the editing process by clicking on the 'Edit' button.

You'll be directed to Vmaker's AI video editor , to converts your Raw videos into Wow videos in just minutes and edit out any unnecessary portions of your recording.

As soon as you finish editing, you can export the recorded video file in your desired format and share it with anyone.

Vmaker also allows its users to upload their videos to social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Content creators can easily share their videos in a matter of seconds.

This method can be very helpful if you can't create your own voiceovers due to time constraints. It allows you to generate voiceovers using text to speech translation software and attach them to Google Slides.

These voiceover software applications are supported by artificial intelligence and have the ability to produce realistic voiceovers from text. This means you can convert a voiceover script into a professional voiceover in just a matter of seconds. Additionally, you can adjust the tone, pitch, and breath of your voiceovers according to your preferences. This helps people save a lot of time and money.

There are many text-to-speech translation software options available online. Some of the most popular ones include Animaker's Voice, Speechelo, Logic, Studio One, etc. You can choose any of these software options that best fit your requirements.

Note : We will guide you through this example using Animaker's Voice software.

Now, let's learn how to do a voiceover on Google Slides using text-to-speech software.

Step 1: Sign up for Animaker

Head over to Animaker's official page and sign up.

Once signed up, you'll be directed to the Animaker dashboard. To create voiceovers, click on the 'Create' button and select 'Create Voice' under the 'Create Project' section.

Step 2: Type in the text & customize your preferences 

Now, you'll be directed to the Animaker voiceover suite. Here is where you can add the text that needs to be converted into voiceovers.

Once you've entered the text, customize your preferences by selecting your gender, language, and voice type.

Additionally, you can change the pitch, speed, and volume of the voiceover by clicking on the button shown below.

To create a break effect or pause between two words, click on the dot between them and adjust the breaks.

There's also a 'Reset' button that allows you to undo recent changes.

Step 3: Preview & make changes if necessary

After entering the text and customizing the preferences, click 'Preview' to check if the audio sounds good. If further adjustments are needed, continue tweaking the break and breath effects until you achieve the desired results.

Step 4: Share/download the recording 

Once the voiceover is ready, you can download the audio to your computer or share it with others.

Step 5: Upload to Google Drive & attach the audio file to Google Slides

Easily attach the downloaded audio file to your Google Slides presentation. To do this, follow the steps discussed in the first method. Upload the downloaded file to Google Drive and insert it into your Google Slide presentation from your drive.

Upload your downloaded file to Google Drive and insert it into your Google slide presentation from your drive. 

Here are a few tips to help you get started with your recording process.

i) Use a pop-up filter

Many individuals recording voiceovers and other videos use a pop-up filter to block unnecessary background noises and eliminate popping sounds that can occur when speaking quickly.

If you're using a screen recording software like Vmaker for your voiceovers, you can achieve professional results without the need for additional filters. Vmaker comes with a noise control feature that effectively blocks unnecessary background noises, ensuring a smooth recording experience.

However, if you opt for the other two methods to record your voiceovers, investing in a good pop-up filter may enhance your recording quality.

ii) Select a quiet place

It's important to stay focused during the recording, so choose a quiet location with minimal disturbances. Inform your family members in advance and turn off your mobile notifications.

iii) Watch your posture

Good posture provides proper breath support, aiding you in delivering your speech with a clear and strong tone. It's advisable to stand while recording your voiceovers. If you prefer sitting, ensure that you find a comfortable spot where you can sit straight.

iv) Warm up your voice 

Conducting a few test runs before the actual recording will help you discover the right combination of pace, projection, and volume for the voiceover. This preparation will reduce the need for multiple retakes.

v) Keep a glass of water close by

It's always advisable to have water or warm tea nearby to keep your vocal cords hydrated. However, stay away from coffee, dairy products, and carbonated beverages.

Now that you've learned how to do a voiceover on Google Slides using three simple methods and know what mistakes to avoid, go ahead and start recording your voiceovers like a pro!

Recommended reads

• How to send a video via Gmail in 3 Different Ways
• How to Make Your Video Presentations Stand Out?
• The Ultimate Guide: What are Video Presentations (Tips and Examples)
• Record Powerpoint Presentations with Audio Easily
• 5 Effective Tips to Make Your Video Presentations Stand Out

Related Posts

Breathe life into courseware videos with educational video creation tools

How to stand out in the era of remote onboarding?

How to do product review videos on youtube?

Get awesome video making tips in your inbox

Animoto Blog

• Video Marketing
• Video Ideas
• News & Features

How to Create Video Voice Over Presentations (With Templates!)

Mar 14, 2023

Presentation videos allow you to make your pitch to anyone, from anywhere. With the right combination of text, music, visuals, and voice over, you can engage and persuade any audience. With a voice over video, you can create a presentation that sparks emotions and helps you connect with everyone who watches.

In this blog, we’ll show you how to do a voiceover on a video and share tips to create impactful video voice over presentations.

The benefits of adding voice overs to presentation videos

Presentation videos can be leveraged throughout your entire organization. Any department, from sales to marketing, customer support, and HR can create a voice over video to share information in an engaging way.

Many of today’s top hybrid companies are already using videos in meetings to inform their teams, clients, and online audiences. Just last year, in fact, presentation videos were among the most commonly-made videos by businesses. Here are just a few reasons why they are becoming such a popular communication tool.

• Improves information retention: Video appeals to a wide variety of learning styles by using both audio and visual storytelling. When you share information in a way that resonates with your audience, their recall and retention rates will surely improve. Some studies have even shown that viewers retain 95% of a message after watching it in a video, compared to only 10% when reading it.
• Adds personalization: Voice over narration adds a unique element that only you have – your voice! These recordings add a personal touch to your videos that draws viewers in. A little personalization can go a long way for attracting and retaining attention!
• Complements your on-screen visuals: Voice overs actually complement and add value to your visuals. Rather than overloading your video with text, you can use voice over narration to go into more detail. Then, the text can be used to summarize main points and key takeaways.

How to make video voice over presentation with Animoto

Animoto makes it easy to create video voice over presentations! Just follow the steps below to record your custom voice over narration and create a polished presentation video that can engage any audience.

1. Choose a video template or start from scratch

First things first, choose a template! Use one of the free presentation templates below, or browse through our template library for a great starting point. You can also create your own voice over video from scratch for the perfect fit!

2. Customize your video with text, photos, and more

Now it’s time to make your video your own! Apply different themes to transform the design of your video with a single click. Or, make your video on-brand by adding your logo and brand colors. Then add supporting text, photos, video clips, and screen recordings to create a engaging and easy-to-follow business presentation .

You can even use music and voice overs together to craft a compelling story! Just remember to choose a neutral music track that won’t compete with your voice over tracks, and adjust the volume of your music to play quietly in the background.

3. Record or upload your voice over tracks

Next, create your voice over. You can either record a voice over track from scratch or upload existing voice overs right into Animoto. Just follow these simple instructions or dive into our [complete guide to voice over narration]( https://animoto.com/blog/video-marketing/voice over-animoto-guide) to learn how:

• Click on the “Audio” icon at the top of the page to open the audio menu.
• Click the microphone button below your video preview.
• Click “Upload voice over” and select your track or click on “Record voice over”
• Click the red button to record. You’ll see a three-second countdown, after which your recording will begin. Click the stop button to end your recording.

4. Trim or reposition your voice over tracks

Now it’s time to edit your voice overs. You can drag the buffers on either end of the recording to trim off any unwanted sound. Then, drag and drop the recording throughout your audio timeline to align with the visuals on screen.

5. Adjust the volume of your voice over tracks

Select on your voice over track and click the volume button. Then, increase or decrease the volume of your track to help it shine over any background music.

6. Download and present your voice over presentation

Finally, your presentation is ready to share! Download your presentation video to your device for easy sharing and storage. You can then add your presentation to a portable USB to present it in person. Alternatively, you can embed your presentation in an email or share it directly to social media to connect with your online audiences.

Tips for creating professional voice over presentation videos

If you don’t have much experience with voice over narration, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together some tips to help you record great voice overs in fewer tries!

Write a voice over script

Scripts can save you a lot of time! Instead of having to cut out pauses and “umms” from your voice overs, try writing a script so you can stay on track. This will boost your confidence, help you sync your voice over with your video, and ensure that you know exactly what to say and when.

Find a quiet place to record

Cut down on background noise to create more professional and crisp-sounding recordings. Small confined spaces like closets are great at filtering out background noises. Even recording in a room away from windows can eliminate unwanted outside noises and let your voice shine through.

Practice first before hitting record

Go through a practice run before the “real deal”. This will help you feel more comfortable and confident once you click the record button. Practice makes perfect, you know!

Don't record everything all at once

Recording a long voice over presentation can be quite the mouthful. Instead of worrying about saying everything all at once, record multiple voice over tracks and piece them together! Doing so makes it easier to trim bit by bit and drag your recordings throughout the video so they align perfectly with your visuals.

Use a good microphone

Last but not least, use a good microphone. Even using the microphone on your headphones will provide you with crisper audio than your computer’s mic. But if you’re creating a series of video voice over presentations, you may want to consider using a high-quality external microphone like the ones on this list .

Types of presentation videos you can make (plus templates)

Presentation videos can be made for virtually any topic! From recapping a meeting, to sharing quarterly results and making a sales pitch, you can personalize any presentation with voice over. Here are some video ideas and templates you can use for free to start off on the right foot.

Presentation

This template is a great place to start for your next presentation. Simply record your screen as you run through your presentation slides and speak through them as you go. You can create this video with voice over narration or turn on your webcam and speak directly to your audience!

Educational presentation

Present to your peers, board members, or classroom with a voice over video! This template brings topics to life with simple text boxes, animations, pictures, and video clips.

Team update

Keep the teams across your organization up-to-date and engaged with a voice over video! Use this presentation to share your progress, hurdles, and next steps with any audience. In addition to voice over, you can also include screen and webcam recordings to help tell your story!

Workplace explainer

Explain the importance of new workplace policies with a business presentation ! These are great assets for managers, HR professionals, and anyone who wants to educate their teams.

Meeting recap

Recap the best parts of your latest in-person and online meetings in an engaging way. With meeting recap videos, you can make sure your key takeaways are front and center. It’s also an impressive delivery method for sharing findings and results with clients!

Customer onboarding

Make sure new customers hit the ground running by creating an engaging onboarding video! This can be used to get new clients setup with a new product or make sure that they know where to go for help. It’s a great touchpoint to include right at the start of your relationship.

Training videos can also come to life with a lively voice over track! Check out this Manager Training video that outlines an upcoming training course. Just add the details of your own training program, including due dates, add your branding, and make it your own with voice over narration.

Make a personal connection through video voice over presentations

Whether you want to make personal connections online or build excitement for your next presentation, you can do so with voice over! And with professional templates at your fingertips, you can create a voice over video in less time with double the impact. All you need is an idea and your voice!

Voice over video presentation video FAQ

How long should a video presentation be.

Video presentations should be around thirty to sixty seconds for maximum engagement. These presentations engage your audience through visuals and audio to engage viewers with multiple learning styles.

What tools do I need to record a voice over?

All you need is a [voice over recorder]( https://animoto.com/features/voice over-video) and a microphone to record voice overs! As a bonus, you can use an integrated recorder and video-maker to turn your recordings into engaging presentation videos.

Are USB microphones good for voice overs?

External USB microphones can make your voice overs sound more crisp and professional. Oftentimes, even using the mic on your headphones provides better quality than computer microphones.

• Marketing video
• How-to video
• Slideshow video
• Social media
• Promo video
• Birthday video
• Intro / Outro videos
• Explainer video
• Email marketing
• Training video
• Internal communications video
• Presentation video
• Photography
• Real Estate
• Marketing Agency
• HR / People Ops
• Video commenting tool
• Screen recorder
• Photo video maker
• Music library
• Online video editor
• Video trimming
• Stock library
• Privacy policy
• Terms of use
• Animoto Tutorials

© 2024 Animoto Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We explain and teach technology, solve tech problems and help you make gadget buying decisions.

How to Add Voice-Overs to Canva Presentations

Namrata Gogoi is an author covering Buying Guides and device-related tips and tricks. She loves learning and writing about gadgets and accessories that are functional, innovative, and have a positive impact on people's lives. Since 2016, she has covered smartphones, computer accessories, household electric appliances, and any product that helps bring convenience to one's life. Previously, she worked as an IT Analyst at TCS but found her calling at Guiding Tech.

Ashish, Computer Engineer by profession, has been writing about tech for 16 years, with a primary focus on Windows and Smartphones. He has a keen interest in writing about social media, as it constantly evolves, introducing new features to explore.

• You cannot edit uploaded audio files in Canva.
• Present and Record may be unavailable in every country.
• AI Voice-over apps will have limitations on the number of minutes in the free version.

Method 1: Add Audio Files

Since Canva has limited customization options, you must ensure the audio files are trimmed before uploading. Also, all your files must be appropriately named and uploaded to avoid confusion later.

Step 1: Open the presentation and select the slide where you want to add the voice-over.

Step 2: Click the Uploads section on the left and switch to the Audio tab to reveal all the audio files.

Step 3: Drag and drop the audio at the bottom of the selected slide, and position it appropriately using drag.

Repeat the above steps for all the slides. Once everything is in place, tap the Play button to view and hear your voice-overs. If you have missed uploading an audio file, you can manually do it when editing the presentation.

This method comes in handy when you cannot access the Present and Record option, which we have explained next.

Method 2: Present and Record

Canva has a built-in method—Present and Record—for adding voice-overs to already-made presentations. One of the most significant drawbacks is that you need a quiet room and don’t have the option to trim the recorded audio.

Step 1 : Open the presentation and click on the three-dot menu at the extreme right corner.

Step 2 : Select Present and Record from the list of options > Start Recording.

Step 3: It will prompt you to allow access to the camera and microphone. Since you only need to perform a voice-over, skip the camera permission and give access to your microphone. Once done, click on the Start recording button.

Step 4: Now, record your voice for all the slides. The slides with recorded audio are marked in red. Remember to move along the slides as the presentation asks.

When you need to pause, click on Pause . This way, you can also skip a few slides where you do not want any voice-overs.

Step 5 : Once the recording is complete, click on Done at the top right corner.

Depending on the length of the audio and the presentation’s content, the download might take time.

In addition to the direct download, Canva allows you to copy and share the link to the presentation directly.

Method 3: Using AI 

Many voice-over AI apps can connect to Canva and help you convert text to voice using multiple voice profiles. Here, we are using Murf AI.

Step 1: Open Canva, go to Apps , and search for Murf AI .

Step 2: Click on it, sign in using your existing account, or sign up.

Step 3: Once done, it will prompt you to use it in the existing or new design .

Step 4: In the Canva presentation editor, you will have access to Murif AI on the left , where you can select language , a voice profile , and a text box where you can type the text and choose style , speed , and pitch.

Step 5: Select the slide where you want to add the voice-over, click on Generate voiceover , and Add to the design .

It’s easy to add voice-over using AI apps, but there are limitations when using a free account. For example, Murf AI limits voice-over time to 12-15 minutes.

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 29 April, 2024

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

DID YOU KNOW

Namrata Gogoi

More in internet and social.

How to Delete a Google Passkey From a Desktop or Mobile

How to Turn on Picture in Picture on Microsoft Edge

Join the newsletter.

Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox.

Voice over generator for PowerPoint

Table of Contents

Using a voice over generator for PowerPoint adds style, professionalism, and natural properties to your presentation. Here’s how.

PowerPoint (PPT) is Microsoft’s app for making and editing presentations. As part of Microsoft Office, PowerPoint is available on Mac, PC, and mobile devices. It lets users create brand-new or template-based presentations, add text, art, images, animations, or videos, and share their work with others.

Adding voice over as audio support is particularly useful when making PowerPoint presentations and can enhance content delivery. Here’s how to use a voice over generator for PowerPoint, no matter whether you’re using the online PPT maker or the desktop PPT creator app.

What makes a good PowerPoint presentation?

A good PowerPoint presentation seamlessly blends form and function to engage, inform, and persuade its audience. At its core, clarity and conciseness are paramount, ensuring that slides are not overloaded with excessive text or overly complex graphics. Instead, each slide should convey a singular idea, augmented by impactful visuals and limited bullet points. A consistent design theme with appropriate color contrasts, legible fonts, and organized layouts provides visual cohesion and ensures easy readability.

Additionally, the integration of relevant images, charts, and graphs can bolster comprehension and retention of the content. Beyond the slides themselves, the presenter’s delivery plays a pivotal role—a dynamic narrative, aligned with the visuals, can bring the content to life, sustaining audience attention and fostering understanding. Ultimately, a successful PowerPoint presentation is one that is both visually appealing and effectively communicates its intended message.

Why are voice overs a good idea for PowerPoint?

Voice overs complement PowerPoint presentations in many ways. Here are some the best reasons to add a voice over to a presentation.

Boost reliability and validity

Adding clear audio voice over to a presentation adds validity to its content. The audience can feel that validity, which in turn increases the feelings of reliability and adds faith in the content.

Add emotion

Besides increasing validity, a voice over on PowerPoint slides makes the content more emotional. The presentation adds passion that accentuates the vision and values of the presentation.

Serve as a call to action

Voice over functionality is very captivating. It passes the call to action to your audience even without apparent references. This is mainly because the presentation becomes more emphatic when natural-sounding voices are behind it.

Make content more inclusive

Text to speech software and a voice over make any presentation more inclusive and accessible. People with learning disabilities like dyslexia, ADHD, and visual impairments can listen to the content without feeling overwhelmed about reading it.

How to record a voice over using PowerPoint

Recording and adding a voiceover on PowerPoint is simple. Just follow the steps below, and you’ll be good to go.

• Open the PowerPoint presentation where you want to add a voice over.
• Hit the “Record” button from the upper-hand ribbon. You can also choose from different recording options in the “Record” tab.
• You can use the text from the presentation as a teleprompter as you record yourself. Any existing notes will be transformed into text during the recording.
• With proper permissions, turn on or off your camera or microphone.
• Press “Start recording” when ready.
• Use the “left” or “right” arrows to record voice overs for a particular slide.
• Make pauses by pressing the pause button or selecting “Stop” to finish.
• Review the recording by pressing the “Play” button. If you’re unhappy with it, you can edit it by pressing “Retake recording.”
• Export the presentation as a video file by hitting “Export” and “Export Video.”

Create a professional voice over quickly and easily with Speechify Voiceover Studio

As you can see, adding a voice over to your PowerPoint presentation can be done from within the app. However, the steps may be a bit too complex for some users. Also, you may not be comfortable with the idea of using your own voice.

But luckily, we have a solution for that.

Originally just a text to speech (TTS) app, Speechify has now expanded into fully customizable, real-time AI voiceover generation with Speechify Voiceover Studio . You can use it to create professional voice overs that sound like real human voices for Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, and other—in addition to recording e-learning and tutorial videos, podcasts, audiobooks, and more. Create audio dialogs, training videos, or stunning slide-show presentation voiceovers in seconds.

The human-like voices, plenty of playback options, and affordable pricing make Speechify Voiceover well worth the consideration.

You can use your own video editor to edit the text to speech voices however you like, or you can use Speechify’s own AI video maker . And if you don’t want to use PowerPoint or Google Slides, you can create your slide-show presentation with Speechify AI Slides.

Here’s an overview of Speechify’s AI Voice Generator features:

• More than 200 high-quality AI voices
• Over 20 different languages and accents
• Complete customization over pronunciation, pauses, pitch, and more.
• 8,000+ licensed background music soundtracks
• Unlimited uploads and downloads
• Commercial usage rights
• 24/7 customer support
• Fast audio editing and processing
• Export in WAV or MP3 files

Try Speechify Voiceover Studio today

Speechify Voiceover Studio can provide high-quality natural-sounding voices for your PowerPoint presentations. The ease of use and quick generation of audio files make this app suitable for users of all ages and computer skills.

Try Speechify Voiceover Studio for free today.

How do I set up voice over in PowerPoint?

You can use the app’s in-built voice recorder feature and record yourself or use third-party computer-generated AI voices offered by Speechify.

Can you put a voice recording over a PowerPoint?

Yes, you can use your own voice recordings or computer-generated voices from third-party software like Murf or Speechify over a PowerPoint slide.

How do you get PowerPoint to read to you?

PowerPoint has a speech recognition tool you can use to read text out loud. Go to “Speech Recognition,” then “Text to Speech,” and set the reading speed and other properties.

• Previous Best Arabic Text to Speech Voices
• Next Hindi Text to Speech Voices

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

Recent Blogs

AI Speech Recognition: Everything You Should Know

AI Speech to Text: Revolutionizing Transcription

Real-Time AI Dubbing with Voice Preservation

How to Add Voice Over to Video: A Step-by-Step Guide

Voice Simulator & Content Creation with AI-Generated Voices

Convert Audio and Video to Text: Transcription Has Never Been Easier.

How to Record Voice Overs Properly Over Gameplay: Everything You Need to Know

Voicemail Greeting Generator: The New Way to Engage Callers

How to Avoid AI Voice Scams

Character AI Voices: Revolutionizing Audio Content with Advanced Technology

Best AI Voices for Video Games

How to Monetize YouTube Channels with AI Voices

Multilingual Voice API: Bridging Communication Gaps in a Diverse World

Resemble.AI vs ElevenLabs: A Comprehensive Comparison

Apps to Read PDFs on Mobile and Desktop

How to Convert a PDF to an Audiobook: A Step-by-Step Guide

AI for Translation: Bridging Language Barriers

IVR Conversion Tool: A Comprehensive Guide for Healthcare Providers

Best AI Speech to Speech Tools

AI Voice Recorder: Everything You Need to Know

The Best Multilingual AI Speech Models

Program that will Read PDF Aloud: Yes it Exists

How to Convert Your Emails to an Audiobook: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

How to Convert iOS Files to an Audiobook

How to Convert Google Docs to an Audiobook

How to Convert Word Docs to an Audiobook

Alternatives to Deepgram Text to Speech API

Is Text to Speech HSA Eligible?

Can You Use an HSA for Speech Therapy?

Surprising HSA-Eligible Items

Speechify text to speech helps you save time

Popular blogs.

The Best Celebrity Voice Generators in 2024

YouTube Text to Speech: Elevating Your Video Content with Speechify

The 7 best alternatives to Synthesia.io

Everything you need to know about text to speech on TikTok

The 10 best text-to-speech apps for Android

How to convert a pdf to speech, the top girl voice changers.

How to use Siri text to speech

Obama text to speech, robot voice generators: the futuristic frontier of audio creation, pdf read aloud: free & paid options.

Alternatives to FakeYou text to speech

All about deepfake voices, tiktok voice generator, text to speech goanimate, the best celebrity text to speech voice generators, pdf audio reader, how to get text to speech indian voices, elevating your anime experience with anime voice generators, best text to speech online, top 50 movies based on books you should read, download audio, how to use text-to-speech for quandale dingle meme sounds, top 5 apps that read out text, the top female text to speech voices, female voice changer, sonic text to speech voice generator online, best ai voice generators – the ultimate list.

Only available on iPhone and iPad

To access our catalog of 100,000+ audiobooks, you need to use an iOS device.

Coming to Android soon...

Join the waitlist

Enter your email and we will notify you as soon as Speechify Audiobooks is available for you.

You’ve been added to the waitlist. We will notify you as soon as Speechify Audiobooks is available for you.

Make Presentations that Talk. In Minutes.

Natural human-like Voiceovers

Turn your bland presentation into an engaging one with Murf's realistic, human-like AI voiceovers.

Easy-to-use, intuitive interface

Save time, save effort and save yourself the trouble of recording and editing voiceovers.

Languages, Accents & Styles

Tweak the tonality, accent, pronunciation, emphasis, add music and pauses to your slide with Murf's text-to-speech studio.

Start creating voice overs

Nothing sells better than a perfectly told story. Narrate your slide show using our curated 120+ human-like text-to-speech voices. Adjust pitch, tonality, volume and add emphasis on the right word using our text to speech studio. A script is all you need, Murf will handle the rest.

How to Create a Voiceover for Presentations in 5 simple steps

• 1 Upload your presentation in jpg/jpeg/MP4 format on Murf Studio.
• 2 You can also type in your e-learning script or if you have a pre-written version of any learning content, copy-paste it to Murf's text editor.
• 3 Choose the voice you want to use. Murf comes with male and female voices, both young and old. Align the text with visuals in the studio.
• 4 Use customization features such as emphasis, pause, and pronunciation to add more depth to the learning module.
• 5 Click on ‘Build Audio’ to render and preview the final voiceover.

Reliable and Secure. Your Data, Our Promise.

Add power of narration to your PowerPoint presentation

You don't see silent movies nowadays, do you? Well, there's a reason for that. People pay less or no attention to a silent visual. In fact, the age of Reels and TikTok has proved how any complex information could be catered to the masses through an audiovisual delight. That applies to your slide show presentation as well. To understand better, let us look at some of the common goals of a presentation:

Persuasion : A presentation can be more effective in persuading your target audience if the information is presented with a narration. 

Form a connection : Your audience is more likely to believe in your presentation if the narration is done using the right gender of voice, correct tone, and by placing the right emphasis.

Simplify key concepts/data : Some information can be hard to express visually alone. A realistic-sounding voiceover can help in explaining it, thus, making it more interesting for the audience.

An act of professionalism : A presentation clubbed with a natural-sounding voiceover will demonstrate your dedication and efforts, thus, showing how professional you are.

Still not convinced? Let us tell you a fact!

A research by the University of Denmark indicates that the average global attention span is dwindling. Due to the increasing amount of information inflow, the audience has a new challenge in the form of the inability to read and retain text in a presentation or a research paper. 

For presenters, this has culminated in a complex situation. Those who want to put across their slideshow meaningfully now need to battle the transient attention of the viewers as well. This can be curbed by supercharging your slide show presentation with a voiceover. We know that adding a narration would go a long way in making things easier for your audience.

Murf can help you help your audience. How? ‍

AI Voice Generator for Presentations

By using Murf's AI voice generator , you can generate the right voiceover presentation in a fraction of the time. You can upload a pre-recorded audio file of your entire presentation and convert it into an AI voice over.  Well, that's not all! You also get to save some money along the way.

Unlike in older days, now you don't have to pay a hefty sum of money to hire voiceover artists for your presentation. Nor do you have to wait for days for the final product to emerge. With Murf studio, you can integrate natural-sounding voices with your powerpoint presentation.

Now when you hear the AI Voices, it can be a major turn-off, given its robotic, bland, and devoid of inflections in the narration. We understand that the problem with most other text to speech programs is that they read everything in one flat, robotic tone. Besides, monotonous pitches can leave your audience unaffected and unmoved. Your content deserves a perfectly tailored voice. Murf is like no other TTS, it's 'As Natural As It Can Get.'

120+ Natural-Sounding Voiceovers for Presentations

So, Murf's TTS studio empowers your PowerPoint presentation or audio file of your voiceoever based on the various options on available Depending upon what you're presenting, the data, and how you want it to be portrayed, choose the most suited voice. It also allows users to change the pitch, tone, and accent of the voice.

Just use Murf to make your slide show reach horizons by using any foreign language VO. With many different languages to choose from, you can reach many untapped areas for your pitches, ideas, data, research, etc. 

Convert raw, pre-recorded audio to a professional voiceover

One of the best features of Murf is that it can transcribe the audio you upload on its interface. In case you have a raw recording of your voice with background noise, all you need to do is upload the audio on Murf Studio, and it'll transcribe it in text format for you to edit. 

You can simply mask the background noise by adding supportive music. Using Murf's simple and intuitive interface, you can sync your audio with your video and make the watching experience flawless. 

How to add voiceover to Google Slides presentation? 

Now you can write, edit, and playback your voiceover scripts while creating Google Slide presentations using Murf's add-on. It makes you in charge of the slides and voiceover.

1. Search Murf in the Google Slides add-on option.

2. Install the Murf add-on to add audio files to your Google Slides presentation

3. Click on the install button on the Murf icon.

4. Follow the set of instructions that appears to install the Murf plug-in.

5. Once installed, go to Murf within Google Slides. Next, on the add-ons menu, click on 'Murf.' 

6. Click on 'Open Murf,' and Murf's studio will appear on the right side of your screen.

7. You can find a consolidated voiceover generating studio within your Google slides, thus, saving the extra process of uploading your slides on Murf.

Apart from this, you can start recording your own voiceover, you can edit the text and sync your script with your slides right on Google Slides. The simplicity and convenience of use cuts down the average turnaround time. So, you can create more informative and engaging slideshows or pitches. 

Why Murf Text to Speech Software?

Adjust tuning, and remove the monotonous tone by playing with various features available on Murf's text to voice Studio. Turn those sleepyheads into enthusiastic listeners. Get lots of awesome features to generate a perfectly-crafted voiceover for your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation or a Google Slides presentation.

Speaking rate

Slower speech is best for complex topics, whereas a faster voice is ideal for creating a sense of urgency. Luck for You! Murf lets you slow down your VO or speed it up with just one click!

Pitch personalization

Higher voices are viewed as more cheery and energetic, whereas lower voices convey trust and authority. Murf lets you adjust the pitch for each word to suit your presentation.

You can completely change your voiceover by adding a pause. See for yourself! "Did you change, Dad?" "Did you change Dad?" Murf lets you add all these pauses.

Background music

You need just the right background music to create the right ambiance for your presentation. Murf, your Voiceover superhero, lets you choose from dozens of background music tracks and add them seamlessly "behind" your voiceover.

Imagine if Cersei Lannister's famous dialog "Power is Power" was delivered in a flat monotone. You can't, right? Murf lets you stress specific words to place emphasis where needed.

Loud voices convey confidence, urgency, and anger. In contrast, a softer voice conveys intimacy or warmth. Murf lets you adjust the volume of your voice so your narration is heard clearly and loudly or softly and gently, depending on your slide show.

Application of  AI Voiceovers for Presentation

Small businesses.

Don't burn a hole in your pocket because of a passive, silent call-to-action (CTA). Add voice to it and make it active. Also, create cost-effective, realistic-sounding voiceovers for tutorials, promo videos, and explainers. 

Break the barrier of language and make your knowledge more accessible using the 20+ languages available on Murf. Simplify the complex data for your audience with storytelling.

Non-profit Organizations

Make your powerpoint presentation of fund pitches more appealing, empowered with data and narration. Increase the reach of reports, data, and solutions with the diverse tools available in Murf, like accents and languages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Murf supports text to speech in.

Important Links

How to create.