How to Record Your Powerpoint Slide Show

Are you looking for a way to record a video of your PowerPoint slide show presentation with audio narration? Here are some resources to help.

Before getting started: Remember to chunk your course content into manageable pieces. Present material in smaller chunks. For example, consider making several short videos rather than one longer video. This will help students grasp the content. It will also help make the recording process easier for you!

Record Directly from PowerPoint

Considerations when using this method:

  • Content external to the slideshow will not be recorded (this includes websites, applications, etc.).
  • Good news - Videos embedded in PowerPoint are now included in the recording!
  • The desktop version of PowerPoint must be used.
  • When using the "Record Slide Show" feature on an older PowerPoint file that uses the previous extension .ppt, be sure to save it as a .pptx instead (File > Save as, then select .pptx from the drop-down list). The old .ppt format does not allow embedded sound, so unfortunately it will not save the audio recordings you have put time and energy into creating.
  • Do not speak while advancing to the next slide. Narration will not be captured during the transition from one slide to the next.
  • Be sure to share your final presentation as a video, do not just post the PowerPoint file.

Recording instructions:

The desktop version of PowerPoint must be used. If you do not see the "Record Slide Show" option, update your version of PowerPoint or download it using the steps below:

  • Go to office.com and login using your college credentials (BannerID@durhamcollege.ca and network password).
  • In the top right-hand corner, select the button to install the latest version of the Office 365 Suite.

Prevent Your Recorded Narration from Being Lost:
When using the "Record Slide Show" feature on an older PowerPoint file that uses the previous extension .ppt, be sure to save it as a .pptx instead. The old .ppt format does not allow embedded sound, so unfortunately it will not save the audio recordings you just put time and energy into creating. By default, the older PowerPoint file will continue saving as .ppt (unless you choose to save it as .pptx) and although the recorded audio appears to work fine in the file, it will be lost once the file is closed. The sound icon will simply be an image and have no audio attached to it. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a way to retrieve the audio once this has happened.

To ensure your audio narration remains part of your PowerPoint file, follow this best practice:

When using the “Record Slide Show” feature on a pre-existing PowerPoint file, go to File, then Save As and ensure the file type selected is .pptx. If it is not already a .pptx file, select this option from the drop-down list and click Save.

 

Windows Recording Instructions: 

New Experience (Microsoft 365 PowerPoint - April 2022 Update):

Classic Experience (Microsoft 365 PowerPoint - Prior to April 2022 Update):

 

Mac Recording Instructions:

Ensure you save the recorded slide show as a video. Do not just post the PowerPoint file with the narration, or some students will not be able to access it properly.

Upload to YouTube:

Posting to YouTube will ensure students are able to access your video properly and allow for captioning. Visit our Share Your Video page for instructions.

Share in DC Connect:

After uploading to YouTube, you can share the video link with your students in DC Connect (the same way you share other YouTube links). For more information, visit our DC Connect - Content resource.

 

Need to record your PowerPoint PLUS external resources such as video, software or websites?

If PowerPoint’s built-in recording feature is not going to meet your needs, consider using a screen-recording tool. Visit our Create Your Own Screen-capture page for more information.