Set the 'Play' options for a video in your presentation

You can use the playback options in PowerPoint to control how and when a video appears in your presentation. You can play a video in full screen mode or resize it to dimensions that you specify. You can also control the volume, play the video repeatedly (in a loop), and show the media controls.

2016 2013, 2010 2007

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To control how your video plays, use options on the Playback tab of the PowerPoint ribbon. This tab appears on the ribbon when you select a video on a slide.

(These options for a video are available after you embed or link to a video file from your computer.)

Play a video in the click sequence, automatically, or when clicked

Tip:   Set this option before adding any animations or triggers to your video. Changing this option removes any animations that are associated with your video.

1. In Normal view, click the video frame on the slide.

   
   Specify how you want your video to start during your presentation

2. Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, in the Start list, do one of the following:

   • To play your video in the click sequence, select In Click Sequence.

   • To play your video when the slide containing the video appears in Slide Show view, select Automatically.

   • To control when you want to start the video by clicking it with the mouse button, select On Click. (Then, when you're presenting in Slide Show view, you'll simply click the video frame when you're ready to play the video.)

     Tip:   To pause a video while it is playing, click it. To continue playing the video, click it again.

Play a video full screen

You can play a video so that it fills the entire slide (screen) when you deliver your presentation. Depending on the resolution of your original video file, it might appear distorted when you enlarge it. Always preview your video before you include it in your presentation so that if the video appears distorted or blurry, you can undo the full screen option.

If you set the video to be displayed full screen and it is also set to start automatically, you can drag the video frame off the slide into the gray area so that it will not be visible on the slide or flash briefly before the video goes to full screen.

1. In Normal view, click the video frame on the slide that you want to play full screen.

2. Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Play Full Screen check box.

Resize a video

If you don't want to play a movie full screen, you can resize it to the dimensions that you want.

1. In Normal view, select the video that you want to resize.

2. Do one of the following:

   To adjust the formatting:

   • Click a corner sizing handle until you see a two-headed arrow, and then drag to size the frame.

     

     • To keep the center of the video in the same place, hold down Ctrl while dragging. By default, this maintains the proportions (locks the aspect ratio) of the video as you drag.

     • Typically, most videos with a 640 x 480 resolution have a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is also the default aspect ratio for PowerPoint 2010 presentations. The default aspect ratio for PowerPoint 2013 and PowerPoint 2016 presentations is 16:9. If the aspect ratios of the presentation and the video differ, your video will look distorted when it plays.

   To specify precise height-to-width proportions of a video:

   1. Under Video Tools, on the Format tab (PowerPoint 2013 or PowerPoint 2016) or Options tab (PowerPoint 2010), in the Size group, click the Dialog Box Launcher .

   2. Click Size, and then under Scale, select the Lock aspect ratio check box.

   3. Under Size and rotate, enter sizes in the Height and Width boxes, or under Scale, in the Scale Height and Scale Width boxes, enter the percentage of size that you want, relative to the video's original size.

Tip:   To prevent videos from skipping when they are played, under Scale, select the Best scale for slide show check box.

Preview a video

• In Normal view, click the video frame.

• Click Play.

  There is also a Play option in the Preview group, on both the Format and Playback tabs, under Video Tools.

Set the volume of a video

• Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, click Volume, and then choose one of the following:

  • Low

  • Medium

  • High

  • Mute

Tip:   You can also set the volume by using the volume slider on the play control bar.

Hide a video when not playing

While delivering your presentation, you can hide your video until you are ready to play it. However, you should create an automatic or triggered animation to initiate playback or you will never see the video play during the slideshow. For more information about creating an automatic or triggered animation, see Animate text or objects.

• Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Hide While Not Playing check box.

Loop a video

To play your video repeatedly and continuously during your presentation, you can use the loop feature.

• Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Loop until Stopped check box.

Rewind a video after playing

To rewind your video after playing during your presentation, do the following:

• Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Rewind after Playing check box.

Show the media controls

To show the media controls during your presentation, do the following:

• On the Slide Show tab, in the Set up group, select the Show Media Controls check box.

To control how your video plays, use options on the Playback tab of the PowerPoint ribbon. This tab appears on the ribbon when you select a video on a slide.

(These options for a video are available after you embed or link to a video file from your computer.)

Play a video automatically or when clicked

Tip:   Set this option before adding any animations or triggers to your video. Changing this option removes any animations that are associated with your video.

1. In Normal view, click the video frame on the slide.

   
   Specify how you want your video to start during your presentation

2. Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, in the Start list, do one of the following:

3. • To play your video when the slide containing the video appears in Slide Show view, select Automatically.

   • To control when you want to start the video by clicking the mouse, select On Click. (Then, when you're presenting in Slide Show view, you'll simply click the video frame when you're ready to play the video.)

     Tip:   You can pause a video while it is playing by clicking it. To continue playing the video, click it again.

Play a video full screen

You can play a video so that it fills the entire slide (screen) when you deliver your presentation. Depending on the resolution of your original video file, it might appear distorted when you enlarge it. Always preview your video before you include it in your presentation so that if the video appears distorted or blurry, you can undo the full screen option.

If you set the video to be displayed full screen and it is also set to start automatically, you can drag the video frame off the slide into the gray area so that it will not be visible on the slide or flash briefly before the video goes to full screen.

1. In Normal view, click the video frame on the slide that you want to play full screen.

2. Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Play Full Screen check box.

Resize a video

If you don't want to play a movie full screen, you can resize it to the dimensions that you want.

1. In Normal view, select the video that you want to resize.

2. Do one of the following:

   To adjust the formatting:

   • Click a corner sizing handle until you see a two-headed arrow, and then drag to size the frame.

     

     • To keep the center of the video in the same place, hold down Ctrl while dragging. By default, this maintains the proportions (locks the aspect ratio) of the video as you drag.

     • Typically, most videos with a 640 x 480 resolution have a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is also the default aspect ratio for PowerPoint 2010 presentations. The default aspect ratio for PowerPoint 2013 and PowerPoint 2016 presentations is 16:9. If the aspect ratios of the presentation and the video differ, your video will look distorted when it plays.

   To specify precise height-to-width proportions of a video:

   1. Under Video Tools, on the Format tab (PowerPoint 2013 or PowerPoint 2016) or Options tab (PowerPoint 2010), in the Size group, click the Dialog Box Launcher .

   2. Click Size, and then under Scale, select the Lock aspect ratio check box.

   3. Under Size and rotate, enter sizes in the Height and Width boxes, or under Scale, in the Scale Height and Scale Width boxes, enter the percentage of size that you want, relative to the video's original size.

Tip:   To prevent videos from skipping when they are played, under Scale, select the Best scale for slide show check box.

Preview a video

• In Normal view, click the video frame.

• Click Play.

  There is also a Play option in the Preview group, on both the Format and Playback tabs, under Video Tools.

Set the volume of a video

• Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, click Volume, and then choose one of the following:

  • Low

  • Medium

  • High

  • Mute

Tip:   You can also set the volume by using the volume slider on the play control bar.

Hide a video when not playing

While delivering your presentation, you can hide your video until you are ready to play it. However, you should create an automatic or triggered animation to initiate playback or you will never see the video play during the slideshow. For more information about creating an automatic or triggered animation, see Animate text or objects.

• Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Hide While Not Playing check box.

Loop a video

To play your video repeatedly and continuously during your presentation, you can use the loop feature.

• Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Loop until Stopped check box.

Rewind a video after playing

To rewind your video after playing during your presentation, do the following:

• Under Video Tools, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Rewind after Playing check box.

Show the media controls

To show the media controls during your presentation, do the following:

• On the Slide Show tab, in the Set up group, select the Show Media Controls check box.

Resize a movie

If you don't want to play a movie full screen, you can resize it to the dimensions that you want.

1. In Normal view, click the movie that you want to resize.

2. Under Movie Tools, on the Options tab, in the Size group, click the Dialog Box Launcher .

   

3. To maintain the movie's height-to-width proportions, click the Size tab, and then under Scale, select the Lock aspect ratio check box.

4. Do one of the following:

   • Under Size and rotate, enter sizes in the Height and Width boxes.

   • Under Scale, in the Height and Width boxes, enter the percentage of size that you want, relative to the movie's original size.

Tips    

• To prevent movies from skipping when they are played, select the Best scale for slide show check box.

• You can also resize a movie by dragging its borders. To keep the center of the movie in the same place, hold down CTRL while dragging. By default, Office PowerPoint 2007 maintains the proportions (locks the aspect ratio) of the movie as you drag. Typically, most movies with a 640 x 480 resolution have a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is also the aspect ratio for most PowerPoint presentations. If the aspect ratios of the presentation and the movie differ, your movie will look distorted when it plays.

Hide a movie frame

You may want to make a movie frame invisible to keep it from appearing during the presentation, and make it disappear from the slide after the presentation. If you set this option and the Play Full Screen option, the movie will not appear to be on your slide at all (though you may see it flash on the slide before it plays full screen). To prevent the brief flash, drag the movie frame off the slide.

Important     If you drag the movie frame off the slide or hide the movie frame, you must set the movie to play automatically or by some other kind of control, such as a trigger. A trigger is something on your slide, such as a picture, shape, button, paragraph of text, or text box, that initiates an action when you click it.

1. In Normal view, click the movie frame on the slide.

2. Under Movie Tools, on the Options tab, in the Movie Options group, select the Hide During Show check box.

   

Although the movie frame is always visible in Normal view, you can drag the movie frame off the slide to hide it.

Delay the start of a movie

You can adjust the settings for when a movie file plays. For example, you might want to start five seconds into the movie, rather than at the beginning of the movie.

1. In Normal view, click the movie frame on the slide.

2. On the Animations tab, in the Animations group, click Custom Animation.

   

3. In the Custom Animation task pane, click the arrow to the right of the selected movie, and then click Effect Options.

   The movie icon, which looks similar to the symbol on the play button of a VCR or DVD player, appears above the trigger bar.

   

4. Click the Effect tab, and then under Start Playing, click From time, and then enter the total number of seconds for the delay.

Rewind a movie after it plays

When you set a movie to rewind, it automatically goes back to the first frame and stops after playing once.

1. In Normal view, click the movie frame on the slide.

2. Under Movie Tools, on the Options tab, in the Movie Options group, select the Rewind Movie After Playing check box.

   

See Also

Create a self-running presentation

Turn your presentation into a video

Add and play sounds in a presentation

Set the timing and speed of a transition