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How to Turn Off Listening in PowerPoint: A Quick Guide

PowerPoint presentations are a powerful tool. But sometimes, the built-in features like listening mode can be, let’s say, a bit much. For anyone who’s been caught off guard by their own voice narrating or strange background sounds, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Turning off listening mode in PowerPoint can save you a lot of awkward moments and distractions.

In my experience, navigating through Microsoft Office settings can feel like finding your way through a maze. The simplest way to turn off listening mode is to select the audio icon in your presentation and choose ‘Play in Background’ or ‘Play Across Slides’ from the playback tab. Trust me, it’s a game changer.

No one wants to be that person stumbling through a presentation with unexpected noises or narration. Whether you’re in a pitch meeting or classroom setting, ensuring your presentation remains clear and professional is key. So let’s dive in more into the steps and save ourselves from future embarrassments.

• 1.1 Using PowerPoint on the Web
• 1.2 Ensuring a Reliable Internet Connection
• 2.1 Adding Audio Files to Slides
• 2.2 Recording Narrations
• 2.3 Embedding Sound Icons
• 3.1 Managing Playback Using Audio Tab
• 3.2 Playback Tab Features
• 4 Editing and Enhancing Audio

Setting Up Your Presentation

Setting up a presentation in PowerPoint involves certain steps to ensure everything works smoothly. These steps vary slightly if you’re using PowerPoint on the Web, and ensuring a reliable internet connection is crucial.

Using PowerPoint on the Web

For those who prefer PowerPoint on the Web , the process is straightforward but has unique considerations. Supported browsers include Chrome, Firefox, and Edge . Opening PowerPoint in these browsers ensures compatibility and a smooth user experience.

Begin by navigating to PowerPoint Online through your Microsoft account. Here, you can create, edit, and share presentations . Utilize the ribbon at the top for features such as adding slides, templates, and multimedia elements. To turn off listening mode, adjust settings under the Slide Show tab. This option prevents narrations or live listening during your presentation, crucial for preventing unexpected disruptions.

Tip: Save your work frequently to avoid losing changes, ensuring a smooth presentation flow.

Ensuring a Reliable Internet Connection

A reliable internet connection is essential when working with PowerPoint on the Web . Frequent disconnections or slow speeds can disrupt your workflow and lead to frustrating delays.

First, I recommend conducting a speed test to ensure your connection is stable. Tools like Speedtest.net provide accurate results. Make sure you’re close to your router or use a wired connection for best performance. Windows 10 users can check their connection status via the settings menu, finding the most optimal spot to work from.

Tip: If you’re using Wi-Fi, reducing the number of connected devices can improve your connection’s reliability.

Ensuring all updates are installed for your browser and system can also prevent software-related disruptions. Keep in mind that a strong connection is key when presenting live to avoid awkward pauses or errors.

Incorporating Audio Elements

Incorporating audio elements in PowerPoint enhances the presentation’s depth and engagement. Let’s explore how to add audio files, record narrations, and embed sound icons effectively.

Adding Audio Files to Slides

To add audio to your PowerPoint presentation, follow these steps. Navigate to the slide where you want the audio. I go to the “Insert” tab on the ribbon. Next, I click on “Audio” and choose “Audio on My PC” to insert an audio file from my computer. Alternatively, you can choose “Online Audio” if you need a file from the internet.

Once the audio file is added, an audio icon appears on the slide. You can adjust playback options, such as trimming the audio or setting fade-in and fade-out durations, under the “Playback” tab. Adjusting the volume of the audio is also possible here. Make sure the audio isn’t too loud or too soft. It’s crucial that it complements rather than detracts from the presentation.

Recording Narrations

Recording narrations for each slide can make your presentation more dynamic, especially if you can’t be there in person. To start recording narrations, go to the “Slide Show” tab and select “Record Slide Show.” This opens a recording window where I can record my talk for each slide. Make sure your microphone is connected and working correctly before starting.

During recording, I speak clearly and at a suitable pace, offering more engaging commentary. If something goes wrong, I can always re-record the part. You can preview and make adjustments to each recording as needed. Once satisfied, the narrations are saved with each individual slide. Use the “Clear Narrations” option if you need to remove any existing narrations.

Embedding Sound Icons

After adding or recording audio, it’s crucial to manage how the audio plays and how it’s presented visually in your slides. The audio icon can be repositioned or resized to fit the slide layout. Embedding this icon in a discrete yet accessible spot is a good practice.

To further enhance the experience, you can set the audio to play automatically, on click, or during specific actions using the “Playback” tab. This allows precise control over the audio experience during the presentation. Remember, it’s essential to test the audio on different slides to ensure smooth transitions.

Choose a consistent style for your sound icons. A neat organization of these elements keeps your presentation professional and impactful.

Navigating Playback Controls

Navigating playback controls in PowerPoint involves using the Audio and Playback tabs. Each tab allows users to manage audio, adjusting settings to suit their presentations.

Managing Playback Using Audio Tab

In PowerPoint, manipulating audio begins with the Audio tab. After selecting the audio icon on your slide, the Audio tab presents numerous settings. Here, I can choose Play in Background for continuous play across slides or adjust Start settings to dictate when the audio begins.

Additionally, the Audio Options dropdown allows me to hide the audio icon during the presentation, ensuring a cleaner look. These options give me control over when and how my audience hears the audio, providing flexibility in presentation design.

Playback Tab Features

The Playback tab offers further controls for fine-tuning audio. Here, I can trim audio clips by adjusting the Trim Audio feature. This tool uses red and green sliders to cut unwanted sections at the beginning or end.

I also find Fade In and Fade Out settings within this tab, perfect for creating smooth audio transitions. Adjusting the volume from Low to High ensures the audio isn’t too overpowering or too faint. With these features, I can ensure my presentation’s audio is well-balanced and professional.

Editing and Enhancing Audio

Editing audio in PowerPoint can be a breeze. Want to trim a long clip? Simple! Just select the audio icon, hop over to the Playback tab, and click Trim Audio . Adjust the red and green sliders to set your start and end points. Voilá, you’ve got your snippet.

Need to tweak audio volume? Easy-peasy. Head to the Playback tab, click Volume , and choose from options like Low, Medium, or High. Otherwise, you can mute it entirely if you’re not in the mood for sound.

Fade effects add a touch of elegance to your presentation. By setting up fades, you can ensure a smooth start and end for your audio. Select Fade In or Fade Out and set the duration in seconds for a seamless experience.

Oh, and what if you made a mistake? No worries! The undo button is your best friend. Just hit Ctrl + Z and any mishap is reversed in an instant. It’s like magic, but with fewer rabbits.

Want to record a narration? Click the Insert tab, choose Record Audio , and start talking. Perfect for adding personal touches or explanations to your slides.

For everyone working on multiple devices, having good audio might mean accessing files from your desktop. Remember to keep your audio files organized to avoid any “file not found” nightmares. Been there, done that!

PowerPoint lets you effortlessly enhance your audio and elevate your presentation. With these tweaks, your slides will sound as polished as they look. Ready to give it a try?

Related posts:

• How to Save PowerPoint as Video: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
• How to Add Notes to PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide for Enhanced Presentations
• How to Edit Background Graphics in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide for Effective Presentations
• How to Track Changes in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Create Master Slides in PowerPoint: Easy Guide for Professionals
• How to Compress Media in PowerPoint: Enhancing Performance and Quality
• How to Make a Shape Transparent in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Change Footer in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Add Multiple Animations to One Object in PowerPoint: Step-by-Step Guide
• What Is Microsoft PowerPoint Used For? Discover Its Essential Applications
• How to Lock Aspect Ratio in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
• What is an ODP File PowerPoint: Understanding OpenDocument Presentation

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Present with real-time, automatic captions or subtitles in PowerPoint

PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 can transcribe your words as you present and display them on-screen as captions in the same language you are speaking, or as subtitles translated to another language. This can help accommodate individuals in the audience who may be deaf or hard of hearing, or more familiar with another language, respectively.

There are also position, size, color, and other appearance options for the captions and subtitles to accommodate different environments and audience needs.

For best results, we highly recommend using a headset microphone connected to the device running PowerPoint. Also, the feature requires a reliable internet connection throughout your presentation.

( Requires Windows 10  and later, with PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 version 16.0.11601.20178 or higher on Current Channel. The feature isn't supported if you're using an earlier version of Windows.)

Set up captions and subtitles

You can choose which language you want to speak while presenting, and which language the caption/subtitle text should be shown in (i.e. if you want it to be translated). You can select the specific microphone you want to be used (if there is more than one microphone connected to your device), the position where the subtitles appear on the screen (bottom or top, and overlaid or separate from slide), and other display options.

Use  Spoken Language to see the voice languages that PowerPoint can recognize, and select the one you want. This is the language that you will be speaking while presenting. (By default, this will be set to the language corresponding to your  Office editing language .)

Use  Subtitle Language  to see which languages PowerPoint can display on-screen as captions or subtitles, and select the one you want. This is the language of the text that will be shown to your audience. By default, this will be the same language as your Spoken Language, but it can be a different language, meaning that translation will occur. 

In the Subtitle Settings menu, set the desired position of the captions or subtitles. They can appear over the top or bottom margin of the slide (overlaid), or they can appear above the top or below the bottom of the slide (docked). The default setting is Below Slide . 

More appearance settings are available by clicking Subtitle Settings > More Settings (Windows) .

You can change the color, size, transparency, and font style of the subtitles. You can change the background to improve contrast and make text easier to read. 

Turn the feature on or off while presenting

If you're in the middle of giving a presentation and want to turn the feature on or off, click the Toggle Subtitles button from Slide Show View or Presenter View, on the toolbar below the main slide:

In Slide Show View :

In Presenter View :

You can also toggle subtitles from the right-click menu, or with the shortcut key J .

To have subtitles always start up when a Slide Show presentation starts, from the ribbon you can navigate to  Slide Show > Always Use Subtitles to turn this feature on for all presentations. (By default, it's off.) Then, in Slide Show and Presenter View, a live transcription of your words will appear on-screen.

(This feature requires PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac version 16.22.127.0 or higher.)

On the Slide Show  ribbon tab, select Subtitle Settings .

Use  Spoken Language to see the voice languages that PowerPoint can recognize, and select the one you want. This is the language that you will be speaking while presenting. (By default, this will be set to the language corresponding to your Office language.)

Use  Subtitle Language  to see which languages PowerPoint can display on-screen as captions or subtitles, and select the one you want. This is the language of the text that will be shown to your audience. By default, this will be the same language as your Spoken Language, but it can be a different language, meaning that translation will occur.

In the Subtitle Settings menu, set the desired position of the captions or subtitles. They can appear over the top or bottom margin of the slide (overlaid), or they can appear above the top or below the bottom of the slide (docked). The default setting is Below Slide .

More appearance settings are available by clicking Subtitle Settings > System Caption Preferences .

(This feature is compatible with the following web browsers: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome 34+, Mozilla Firefox 25+)

You can choose which language you want to speak while presenting, and which language the caption/subtitle text should be shown in (i.e., if you want it to be translated). You can also select whether subtitles appear at the top or bottom of the screen.

(Simplifed Ribbon) On the Slide Show  ribbon tab, select the drop-down arrow next to  Always Use Subtitles  to open the menu of options.

(Classic Ribbon) On the View  ribbon tab, select Use Subtitles . Then click Subtitle Settings to open the menu of options.

Use  Spoken Language to see the voice languages that PowerPoint can recognize, and select the one you want. This is the language that you will be speaking while presenting. (By default, this will be set to the language corresponding to locale of your web-browser.)

Use  Subtitle Language  to see which languages PowerPoint can display on-screen as captions or subtitles, and select the one you want. This is the language of the text that will be shown to your audience. (By default, this will be the same language as your Spoken Language, but it can be a different language, meaning that translation will occur.) 

Set the desired position of the captions or subtitles: they can appear overlaid at the top or bottom margin of the slide. The default setting is Bottom (Overlaid) . 

To have subtitles always start up when a Slide Show is presented, select  View > Always Use Subtitles .

If you're in the middle of giving a presentation and want to turn the feature on or off, click the Use Subtitles button in Slide Show, on the toolbar below the main slide:

On/Off keyboard shortcut: J

If you see problems in the captions or subtitles, try speaking more deliberately.

Try to avoid or eliminate background noise that may interfere with your voice.

Captions & Subtitles depends on a cloud-based speech service, so it's important to have an internet connection that's fast and reliable.

Spoken languages supported by live captions & subtitles (voice input)

Several spoken languages are supported as voice input to live captions & subtitles in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365. The languages marked as Preview are offered in advance of full support, and generally will have somewhat lower accuracy, which will improve over time.

* "Preview Languages" are not as fully supported at this time. Our recognition of these languages will improve over time.

On-screen languages supported by live captions & subtitles (text output)

PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 can display captions or subtitles on-screen in any of more than 60 languages:

Important information about live captions & subtitles

PowerPoint live captions & subtitles is one of the cloud-enhanced features in Microsoft 365 and is powered by Microsoft Speech Services. Your speech utterances will be sent to Microsoft to provide you with this service. For more information, see Make Office Work Smarter for You .

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk .

Accessibility features in video and audio playback on PowerPoint

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible

Manually add closed captions or subtitles in PowerPoint

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• PC & Mobile
• Google Meet

How To Turn Off Presenter View in PowerPoint

Dominic Anderson As a content marketer by day and tech enthusiast by night (and some of the day too), I share my thoughts about new platforms and fixes for the problems I’ve encountered with the technology I use. Read more February 3, 2022

Presenter view is a great tool to use when making presentations. It allows you to present slides professionally to the audience while keeping your talking points to yourself. However, there may be instances when you would prefer not to use the Presenter View feature. Maybe you are presenting on Zoom and need to share your screen with your audience. Perhaps you just find it simpler to teach your class without it.

Whatever your situation might be, this step-by-step guide will walk you through how to turn off Presenter View.

This article will look at how to turn off Presenter View in PowerPoint from various devices and platforms, including Teams and Zoom.

Turn Off Presenter View in PowerPoint for Windows

When working in PowerPoint on two different monitors (yours and the one for the audience), you will, in most instances, want to disable Presenter View from the audience screen. This will prevent them from seeing your talking points.

To do this, follow the steps outlined below:

Presenter View will now only be visible on your screen.

You can also turn off Presenter View for both screens by following the steps below:

Presenter View has now been disabled on both monitors.

Turn Off Presenter View in PowerPoint for Mac

Things will work a little differently if you use a Mac, but don’t worry. We will guide you on how to turn off Presenter View PowerPoint on your Mac device.

• This will disable Presenter View and revert you to the mirrored slide display.

Turn Off Presenter View PowerPoint Zoom

Presenter View usually works best when using two different monitors; one for the presenter and another for the audience. That way, the talking points can only be viewed by one party. With more and more meetings taking place on Zoom, the dual-monitor approach can get tricky because the presenter shares their screen with the group. Let’s find out how to turn off Presenter View in Zoom.

Presenter View has now been turned off, and you can stop sharing your presentation and exit the slideshow. The screen sharing will stop, and Zoom will pop back up.

It’s important to remember to stop sharing your presentation before exiting PowerPoint. If you don’t, whatever was displayed on the presenter’s screen will be shown to the Zoom participants.

Turn Off Presenter View in PowerPoint Teams

Microsoft updated Teams and made Presenter View the default mode when sharing presentations. The feature is quite useful as it allows participants to move back and forth within slides without disrupting the presenter. They, however, did not provide a way to turn off Presenter View on this platform. If you are looking to disable the feature, there is a keyboard workaround that you can utilize for that purpose.

To turn off Presenter View PowerPoint in Teams:

Turn Off Presenter View in Google Meet

If you are holding your presentation on Google Meet, you have the option to share your entire screen, a window, or a tab. For Presenter View, you can opt to share one window with the audience while keeping a second window with your notes private.

To turn off Presenter View, all you need to do is close the window or tab that contains your speaker note. Do this by navigating to the bottom right corner of the page and clicking on “You are presenting,” then tap “Stop Presenting.” You will now have turned off Presenter View in Google Meet.

Turn Off Full Screen Presenter View in PowerPoint

Perhaps instead of turning off Presenter View, you would prefer to exit full-screen mode instead. This would allow you to have your speaker notes handy while still having access to your toolbar and other applications.

To do this, you would need to display Presenter View in a window instead of on the full screen. Here’s how to go about doing that:

Now PowerPoint will open in a window instead of full screen, and you will be better able to manage your Presenter View mode.

Additional FAQs

What do you do if presenter view is showing up on the wrong monitor.

Sometimes things might get mixed up, and your presentation notes appear on your audience screen. You can quickly fix this by:

1. Click on “Display Settings” on your PowerPoint screen.

2. At the top of the “Presenter Tools” page, select “Swap Presenter View and Slide Show.”

Turn Off Presenter View PowerPoint

PowerPoint’s Presenter View is an amazing feature that allows you to present without losing the option to refer to your notes. However, there may be instances where you would rather have the feature off. As we have seen, disabling Presenter View can be an easy process to navigate once you know where to look.

How often do you use Presenter View when delivering virtual presentations? Let us know in the comments section below.

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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

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How to Add Audio Narration To a PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint is an app that enables you to create and deliver an engaging presentation to an audience. But what if the audience is not in the same room or you are sending it as a link or attachment?

This is why adding audio narration to PowerPoint slides timings is helpful and useful. You can record the narration from inside your presentation so that it plays while viewers watch. Adding voice-over narration to your Powerpoint presentation or video will turn it into evergreen stand-alone content.

This article will discuss how to add audio narration to a Powerpoint presentation for Windows 10.

Test Your Default Microphone

The first thing you will need is a working microphone. Most computers today come with a built-in microphone. If you plan to use your computer default microphone, you don’t have to take additional steps to add a microphone.

However, you do want to make sure it’s working and loud enough to hear. To set your default microphone, test it to make sure it’s working. To customize the properties, follow the steps below.

• Start by typing Settings in the search bar.
• Click on System > Sound .

• Look under Input for options to configure your microphone. Click the dropdown menu under Choose your input device to assign your default microphone.
• If you only have one microphone, there is nothing to select. To open additional microphone settings, click on Device properties > Additional device settings .

• Enable or disable speaker and access audio driver information under the General tab.
• The Listen tab enables you to allow or deny your mic to listen to the speakers.
• Adjust the microphone volume and balance settings under Levels .
• Change the default sample rate and bit depth under the Advanced tab.
• If enabled on your computer, Spatial sound can enhance the audio experience.

To test your microphone, go back to the Input section. If it’s not working, you can use the Troubleshoot button to try to resolve the issue.

Install a USB Microphone

• To enable your microphone , first, plug in the USB microphone to your computer. Then right-click on the volume icon on the taskbar. 
• Click on Sounds .

• Under the Recording tab, choose the microphone you want to set up and click Configure . 
• Under Configure your Speech Recognition experience , click on Set up microphone .

• When the setup wizard starts, choose the type of microphone you are installing and click Next.

• The next screen you see will provide tips for using your microphone and some text to read to test your settings. 
• Follow the instructions from the wizard and test the microphone to make sure it is working correctly.  

Set USB Microphone As Input Device To Use

If you want to use the external USB microphone you just set up to record your narration, you need to set it as the input device.

• Right-click on the volume icon on the right side of the taskbar and click on Open Sound settings.  

• From the Sound Settings window, scroll down to Input and tick the box under Choose your input device . 
• Select your USB microphone as the input device.

Rehearse & Take Notes

Now that your microphone is set up and tested, instead of jumping right in and starting to record, take the time to practice what you are going to say.

Take notes, write out a script, and rehearse the timings to save time, minimize errors, and ensure that your audio sounds fluid and natural.

Now you are ready to start recording.

Turn On the Recording Tab (Office 365)

• To turn on the Recording tab, navigate to File , click Options > Customize Ribbon > Recording > OK .

How To Record An Audio Narration For One Slide

The easiest way to add audio to your PowerPoint presentation is to record one slide at a time.

• Start by selecting the slide where you want to add the audio.
• Navigate to Insert > Audio > Record Audio .

• Choose a name for your voiceover and replace Recorded Sound with the name.  

• To start your recording, click the button with the red dot. Read from your script and click the stop button when finished. 
• The stop button is the middle square and will be highlighted in red while you are recording.

• To hear your recording, press the play button. If you like how it sounds and want to keep it, click OK .

• You can also hear the audio by clicking on the embedded audio icon on your slide. It will open a bar underneath where you can play your audio.

• You will now have a visible audio icon on your slide. To hide this icon for your final presentation, click on it. 
• Click Playback in the top bar navigation, and tick off Hide During Show .

Record An Audio Narration For An Entire Slideshow (Office 365)

• Click on Recording from the top navigation, and then Record Slide Show . 

• Choose either Record from Current Slide or Record from Beginning . The slideshow will open in the Recording window.

• There are buttons on the top left for recording, pausing, stopping, and playing. Click on the red, round button to start recording. There will be a three-second countdown for you to get ready.
• The slide you are recording will show up in the main pane of the window. To advance to the next slide, use the arrow on the right side of the window. To move to a previous slide, use the arrow on the left. Powerpoint with Office 365 will automatically record the time you spend talking on each slide. This includes any animations you have set up.
• Use the buttons on the bottom right-hand side of the screen to toggle your microphone, camera, and camera preview on or off. If you choose to re-record part or all your narration, Powerpoint will erase the old version to enable you to record again.
• When you finish recording, click on the square button at the top left-hand corner of the recording window.

• The timings for each slide will show up in the Slide Sorter view. To see your timings, click on View > Slide Sorter .

• See the timings under the slides from the Slide Sorter view in the image below.

Preview Your Slide Show

• To preview your slideshow with your narration, animations, and timings (set up before you started recording), click Slide Show from the top bar navigation. Make sure you are on the Home tab.
• Choose From Beginning or From Current Slide .

• To hear the audio for a single slide, go to Norma l view, click on the sound icon and click Play . Note that recorded animations won’t show up when previewing from a single slide.

Manually Set Slide Timings

• You can also manually set your slide timings to sync with your narrations. To do so, select the slide from Normal View and then click on Transitions . 
• From the Timing group , select the After check box under Advance Slide .

• Enter how long you want the slide to stay on the screen before moving onto the next. Do this for every slide you want to use manual timings.

Publish Your Presentation For Sharing

You can save your presentation as a Powerpoint Show (.ppsx) or a video to share it with others. When a viewer opens a slideshow file, it will immediately open in slideshow mode.

To save your presentation, go to File , Save As and select the format from the dropdown menu.

If your presentation is huge and you want to send it as an email attachment, you might need to compress the file. A better option is to upload it to Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive, and send the link to the desired recipients.

David has a background in small business and lives in Australia. He is a WordPress and Ubuntu Developer who enjoys design, CSS and tech tool integration. Read David's Full Bio

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Remove the audio narration from a PowerPoint presentation

I recorded audio for a PowerPoint presentation and now a colleague wants me to send the presentation to him. The file is currently 18 MB and I want to get it down to handy 1 or 2MB by stripping the audio.

The only way I see is to remove the audio in the animation bar slide by slide.

Stripping notes can be done by the "inspect document" feature. But for audio I see no such way.

How can I remove the audio all at once?

• microsoft-powerpoint

3 Answers 3

The solution is to go to the Slide Show menu » Record Slide Show » Clear Narrations.

Simply click on the sound icon on your slide and press SHIFT+DELETE... Do this for each slide

Beside the office button,under quick access toolbar,left click the undo option.You can undo whatever actions is done,including record narration.

• 1 That will only undo the last action, not remove the narration from all slides. –  DavidPostill ♦ Commented Jul 12, 2015 at 14:01

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