Adding video

Supported video formats

PowerPoint accepts some kinds of video files and not others.  PowerPoint 2003 for Windows supports videos of the following file formats:  ASX, WMX, M3U, WVX, WAX, and WMA.  It will also accept some predecessors of these formats, such as WMF.  If the file doesn’t show up when you’re trying to insert it, it is not supported.  The Mac version of PowerPoint accepts QuickTime videos (MOV, QT), but beware:  if you try to run your presentation on a PC, they won’t play.  The reverse is also true for PC users who try to run their presentations on Macs:  your WMA files may not work.  And computers running old versions of PowerPoint might not support the same formats either.  In other words, if you’re moving a video slide show to another computer, try it out beforehand.

Inserting a video file

Assuming you have a video file that PowerPoint will accept, here is how to insert it:

1. Copy your chosen video file(s) into the same folder as your PowerPoint presentation.  (Not strictly necessary, but you’ll thank yourself later because this makes it a lot easier to move or copy your presentation).

2. Go to >Insert - Movies and Sounds - Movie from File, and locate your clip (which should now be in the same folder as your slideshow).  Click Insert.  Choose Automatically if you want your movie to play as soon as you open that slide.  Choose When Clicked if you want time to speak before you play it.

3. Your movie will now play in your slideshow!  After it starts (either automatically or when clicked, depending on which option you chose), you can click on it to make it pause, and click it again to restart it.  If you leave it alone, it will play until it ends, or until you go to the next slide. 

Advanced options (moving, resizing, full-screen projection)

You can drag your movie clip around and insert text boxes and images around it, as with any other slide item.  You can also resize movies just like pictures:  drag on the white circle in one of the corners.  (Don’t drag on the side-circles; this will distort the video).  For full-screen projection, just enlarge your movie until it fills the slide.  If you have PowerPoint 2003, you can also right-click on the movie, choose Edit Movie Object, and check Zoom to Full Screen.

In addition to the standard object animations, you can animate your movies to play, pause, and stop.  Follow the instructions for animating an audio file in the audio section.

What to do if you can't insert your video files

Ideally you can use video editing software to convert your files to an acceptable format.  If you don’t have time for this, you can hyperlink to your unsupported videos from within PowerPoint (see hyperlink section below).  This is messier, but better than nothing.  As long as the computer you use has a media player that supports your files, you will be able to open them this way.

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