How to Do a Voiceover on PowerPoint

Coletta Teske is a Lifewire writer focusing on consumer electronics. She has 30 years' experience writing for Adobe, Boeing, Microsoft, and many others.

What to Know

• Single slide: Select a slide. Go to Insert >Audio >Record Audio. Type a name, select Record, then read your script. Select Stop.
• Entire slideshow: Select View >Normal and choose the first slide. Select Slide Show >Record Slide Show >Record from Current Slide.
• To review the recording, click the sound indicator (it looks like a speaker) and then select Play to hear your recording.

This article explains how to record a voiceover on PowerPoint for a single slide or for the entire slideshow. The instructions apply to PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2019, PowerPoint 2016, and PowerPoint 2013.

How to Record a Voiceover for a Single Slide

Before narrating your PowerPoint presentation, be prepared:

• You’ll need a microphone attached to, or built into, your computer. Test the microphone to make sure it is working. Set the sound level so your audio is easy to hear.
• Prepare yourself for the narration. Write a script you can follow while recording the voiceover. Practice the presentation a couple of times so your voiceover will sound smooth.
• Decide whether to record the voiceover one slide at a time or record a voiceover for the entire presentation in one go.

The simplest way to record audio for a voiceover is to record one slide at a time. To get started, select the slide where you want to add the narration, then go to Insert > Audio > Record Audio.

Here’s how to record a voiceover on the slide:

1. Type a Name for the voiceover narration.

Select Record (the button with a red dot).

Select Stop when you’re finished recording.

The Record Sound dialog box disappears, and a speaker indicating sound appears in the center of the slide.

To review the recording, click that sound indicator and then select Play to hear your recording.

You’ll see an audio icon in the middle of the slide. Move this icon anywhere on the slide to get it out of the way of other elements on the slide.

How to Record a Voiceover for an Entire Presentation

The voiceover for the entire presentation can be recorded at one time. In addition to recording a voiceover, you can record a video of yourself giving your presentation.

To set up your presentation when you want to narrate an entire slideshow:

1. Select View >Normal

Select Slide Show >Record Slide Show >Record from Current Slide.

• Slide and animation timings: When recording, PowerPoint automatically tracks the timing of slide changes and any animations that occur.
• Narrations, ink, and laser pointer: When recording, PowerPoint automatically tracks when narrations, any inking, or laser pointing occurs.

Leave both checked to make automating your slideshow easier.

Select Record. In PowerPoint 2016, select Start Recording.

If you made a mistake and want to start over, select Clear >Clear Recordings. In PowerPoint 2016 select Clear >Clear Recordings on Current Slide.

When you’ve finished recording a slide, select the Advance button to advance to the next slide or press the spacebar on your keyboard.

You may have noticed some controls at the bottom left side of the screen. These are a few controls to aid you in your presentation.

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These handy handy tools include the Laser Pointer, Highlighter, and Eraser. As you advance through your presentation, mark or highlight parts of your slides as you narrate. PowerPoint records the timing of these marks (if you left the boxes checked) to go along with your narration. Likewise, using the laser pointer shows a simulated red laser dot so that you can point out different things on your slides as you narrate your presentation.

How to Listen to the Recorded Voiceover

Once you’ve recorded your narration, you can go back to the slides and listen to your voiceover.

Here’s how to play a narration: