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How to put a downloaded video in PowerPoint or Google Slides

Add a video to a PowerPoint or Google Slides deck so it plays without an internet connection.

Updated

Embedding a YouTube link in a slide works until the venue Wi-Fi drops. Putting the video file in the deck means it plays offline, starts instantly and never shows ads. Here's how.

Step 1: download the video as MP4

Paste the link into the downloader for the right site, for example the YouTube downloader, and keep MP4. It's the format PowerPoint and Google Slides handle best. Only use clips you have permission to show, especially in public or paid talks.

Step 2a: PowerPoint (Windows or Mac)

  1. Open the slide where the video should go.
  2. Go to Insert, then Video (on Windows, This Device; on Mac, Movie from File).
  3. Choose the MP4 from your Downloads folder.
  4. Open the Playback tab to set it to start automatically or on click, trim it, or loop it.

The video is stored inside the .pptx file, so the presentation keeps working when you copy it to a USB stick.

Step 2b: Google Slides

  1. Upload the MP4 to Google Drive.
  2. In Slides, go to Insert, then Video, then Google Drive, and pick the file.
  3. Click the video, then Format options, to set autoplay, start and end times, or mute.

Google Slides streams from Drive, so you'll need a connection while presenting. For an offline copy, download the deck as PowerPoint.

Keynote

Drag the MP4 or MOV onto the slide. That's it.

Troubleshooting

  • PowerPoint says it can't insert the video: the file may be HEVC or a format it doesn't support. Download again as MP4. See fixing HEVC on Windows.
  • The video plays without sound: check the volume in the Playback tab, then see video has no sound.
  • The deck is huge: PowerPoint's File, Info, Compress Media option shrinks it.

Just a clip?

You can trim inside PowerPoint (Playback, Trim Video) or in Google Slides by setting start and end times. No editor needed.

Quick answers

Will the video work if I email the deck?

In PowerPoint, yes, because the video is inside the file. The file may be too big for email, so share it with a cloud link instead.

Can I use just the audio in a slide?

Yes. Download as MP3 and use Insert, then Audio in PowerPoint. Google Slides accepts audio files from Drive too.

Do I need captions on the video?

For accessibility it helps. Download the transcript as SRT and add it in PowerPoint with Insert Captions, under the video's Playback tab.