How to Add Voice Narration to a PowerPoint

When creating a PowerPoint presentation, voice narration can help to spice up your content and make it more engaging. This is especially true if you’re sending your presentation via email or when your audience is not in the same location as you.

In this article, we’re going to show you how to add voice narration to your PowerPoint presentation.

What’s PowerPoint Voice Narration?

PowerPoint’s voice narration is a feature that enables you to record and embed audio clips into your slide deck. You can then attach a narration icon on your slide, which plays when toggled. You can also set the audio to play automatically as the rest of the content is projected.

Preparation

Every successful and experienced PowerPoint enthusiast will tell you that the secret to making engaging and informative content lies in adequate preparation. To ensure that your presentation stands out, here are some tips:

Carefully Assemble Your Slide Deck

You should aim for a consistent presentation, where the content is presented in chronological order. You don’t want to end up with a presentation that is disorganized because that will make it difficult for your audience to follow. You’ll need to make sure that any audio clips you embed into your slide are not only in sync with the rest of the content but also form a clear and logical sequence of ideas in the minds of the audience.

Mental Preparation Is Key

After assembling all the necessary resources, ensure that you’re thoroughly familiar with the content. Only then can you project confidence into your voice narration. A good way to prepare is to scribble down the things you want to include in your narration well in advance. This helps you to come up with a mind map of the key points of your presentation.

Put the Mic to the test

Obviously, you need a microphone to record audio clips. Luckily, most modern computers come with an inbuilt microphone that needs minimal preparation. However, you’ll still want to make sure that you’re sufficiently audible. You can adjust things like volume by opening your computer’s settings and clicking on “Sound” in the menu on the left of your screen.

Quiet Environment

Non-ambient sounds can ruin even the best of presentations. Ensure that your room is nearly sound-proof before the recording starts. You should turn off things like fans and air conditioners.

How to Add Voice Narration to a PowerPoint Presentation

If you’re using any Microsoft package other than Office 365, here’s how you can add voice narration to your presentation:

1. Open your Microsoft PowerPoint file and click on “Slide Show” in the menu bar. Then, select “Record Slide Show.” You’ll have the option to either start recording from the beginning or from the current slide.
   
2. A slide show box will then appear, allowing you to select what you want to record before the process starts. Tick the boxes if you wish to record slide and animation timings, as well as narrations, ink, and a laser pointer. At this point, Microsoft automatically will launch the slide show mode.
   
3. On the top right corner, you’ll see the recording toolbar. This allows you to go to the next slide, stop recording, or re-record the current slide.
   
4. If you wish to use the laser pointer, pen, highlighter, or eraser, simply right-click on the current slide, select “Pointer Options,” and then select the tool you want.
   
5. Once you’re done recording, right-click on the last slide and select “End Show.”
   

PowerPoint automatically affixes a sound icon beneath every slide that has a voice narration. You’ll also notice that the time taken recording the slide is also included.

Once you’re done recording, it’s always a good idea to preview your slideshow. To do so, click on “Slide Show” on the Home tab in the menu bar. To listen to the audio you recorded for a particular slide, simply go to “Normal View” and click on the sound icon.

How to Add Voice Narration to PowerPoint Slides

Voice narration can be the difference between a presentation that impresses and one that truly stands out. Voice narration converts your presentation into a self-contained utility and provides your audience with a complete, self-teaching asset.

Here are the steps you should take to add voice narration to PowerPoint slides:

1. Assemble the necessary tools. These include an external microphone if you need one, and a sound card.
   
   
2. Before starting, it may be important to save the new PowerPoint file you’re about to create under a different name in a different folder. Adding voice narration implies that audio clips will be generated as part of the presentation, and it would be best to have them all in one organized folder.
   
   
3. Open the PowerPoint file and click on “Slide Show” on the menu bar.
   
   
4. You’ll be prompted to decide whether you want to start recording from the current slide or from the beginning. After that, PowerPoint will automatically launch the slideshow mode.
   
   
5. Click on the red button on the top right corner to start recording. By default, PowerPoint will provide you with a three-second countdown to help you prepare for the task ahead.
   
   
6. To begin recording a new slide, simply toggle the arrow on the right side of the window. To go back to the previous slide, toggle the arrow on the left.
   
   
7. When you’re done recording, click on the middle square-shaped button on the top left corner.
   
   

How to Insert Sound Effects in PowerPoint

Sound effects are a good way to make your slides more interesting to your audience. PowerPoint allows you to add a range of sounds to animations. What’s more, you have the option to play sounds every time you open a new slide during your presentation.

Before adding a sound, first, you have to create the animation effect. Here’s how you can add a sound effect to an animation:

1. Open the slide containing the animation effect.
   
2. Click on the “Animations” tab on the top bar menu and then click on “Animations Pane” in the Advanced Animation section.
   
3. Select the effect you want in the Animation Pane.
   
4. Click on the down arrow next to the effect and then select “Effect Options.” This will launch a new menu.
   
5. From the resulting menu, select the sound effect you’d like to insert. Alternatively, you can import your own sounds by clicking on “Other Sound.”
   
6. Click on “Ok.”
   

How to Insert Music in PowerPoint

There can hardly be a better way to spice up your presentation than adding music. To play music across slides, here’s what you need to do:

1. Click on the “Insert” tab on the menu bar.
   
2. Click on “Audio” and then select “Audio on My PC.”
   
3. Locate the music file you’d like to insert and then click on “Insert.”
   
4. Select the audio icon.
   
5. Select “Playback.”
   
6. Click on “Play in Background.”
   

And just like that, your music will start playing as soon as the slide is opened.

How to Add Voice Narration to PowerPoint on a Mac

If you own a Mac, adding voice narration to your PowerPoint presentation is straightforward.

1. Click on “Slide Show” on the top menu.
2. Select “Record Narration.” This will launch a new window.
3. In the new window, specify the sound input device and input source.
4. Click on “Record” to start recording. This launches the full-screen presentation mode.
5. When done, press the escape key.
6. Click on “Yes” when asked whether you’d like to save slide timings.
7. PowerPoint automatically adds the speaker icon beneath each slide. To play the narration automatically every time the slide is opened, right-click on the speaker and select “Start Automatically.”

How to Add Voice Narration to PowerPoint on an iPad

You can add voice narration to a PowerPoint presentation on your iPad. Here’s how:

1. Open the first slide of your presentation.
2. Tap “Play.”
3. Slide your finger down from the top right corner of your screen. This launches the Control Center. You’ll be able to see all recording options if you tap and hold the “Record” button.
4. Tap the microphone button to turn it on.
5. Select “Start Recording.” You’ll now have three seconds to prepare.
6. Return to the Control center by tapping “Background.”
7. Return to your presentation by tapping “Control Center Background.”
8. Proceed to navigate through your slide deck as you add voice narration.
9. When you’re done, slide your finger down from the top right corner of your screen to launch the Control Center. Then, tap the “Record” button.

Your recording will appear in the Photos app.

Additional FAQ

How Do I Add Narration to PowerPoint 365?

• Select “Slide Show.”

• You’ll be prompted to decide whether you want to start recording from the current slide or from the beginning. For best results, always start from the beginning. At this point, PowerPoint should automatically launch the slideshow mode.

• In the slideshow mode, you’ll notice a series of buttons on the top right corner. The first one, which appears in red, allows you to record. The second one stops the recording, while the third one allows you to play the audio recorded.

• The slide involving the recording is always on the main panel of the window. To begin recording a new slide, simply toggle the arrow on the right side of the window. To go back to the previous slide, toggle the arrow on the left. It’s important to note that PowerPoint automatically records the time spent on every slide.

• Use the buttons on the bottom right hand corner to toggle your mic and camera. If for some reason you want to repeat a part of the recording or all of it, PowerPoint will automatically delete the old recording and start you off on a clean slate. When you’re done recording, click on the middle, square-shaped button on the top left corner.

How Do I Voice Over a PowerPoint?

• Open the presentation and click on the “Slide Show” tab.

• Click on “Record Slide Show.”

• A dropdown menu will appear and prompt you to choose between starting recording from the beginning or from the current slide.

Create Engaging Content with Voice Narration

Voice narration may not be the most popular PowerPoint tool, but it presents a sure way to add an extra layer of quality to your presentations to make them more interesting and engaging. What’s your experience with the voice narration feature?

Let us know in the comments section.