Embed & Autoplay Video in PowerPoint Animation [+6 Pro Tips]

Are you looking to make a video appear and play automatically in your PowerPoint presentation using animation? Adding video to PowerPoint slides is a great way to engage your audience and convey information in a dynamic, visual way.

In this article, we’ll walk through step-by-step how to embed a video in PowerPoint, make it appear on click using an animation effect, and configure it to play automatically. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to seamlessly integrate auto-playing video into your PowerPoint animations.

Why Use Video in PowerPoint Presentations?

Before we dive into the technical steps, let’s consider why you might want to use video in your PowerPoint presentations:

1. Engagement – Video is inherently engaging and can help capture and maintain your audience’s attention
2. Emotional Impact – Video can evoke emotions and create a deeper connection to your message
3. Demonstrations – Video is perfect for demonstrating products, processes, or concepts
4. Testimonials – Embedding customer testimonial videos can powerfully enhance your credibility
5. Variety – Mixing video into your presentation adds welcome variety and breaks up text-heavy slides

When used strategically, video can significantly level-up your PowerPoint presentations.

What You Need to Embed and Autoplay Video in PowerPoint

Before we get started, make sure you have:

• Microsoft PowerPoint (version 2010 or later)
• The video file you want to embed (in MP4, WMV, or MOV format)
• Basic familiarity with PowerPoint

Got those ready? Let’s dive in and learn how to add video to a PowerPoint animation.

Step 1: Insert the Video on Your PowerPoint Slide

The first step is to embed your video file onto the slide where you want it to appear. Here’s how:

1. Go to the Insert tab in PowerPoint
2. Click on the Video button
3. Choose Movie from File
4. Locate and select your video file
5. Click Insert

Your video will now be embedded on the slide, represented by a video frame. You can click and drag to reposition or resize the video as needed.

Supported Video File Formats

PowerPoint supports the following video file formats for embedding:

• MP4
• WMV
• MOV

If your video is in a different format, you’ll need to convert it first. There are many free online video converters available, such as CloudConvert, Convertio, or Online-Convert.

Step 2: Add Animation to Make the Video Appear

Next, we’ll use PowerPoint’s animation tools to make the embedded video appear on click:

1. Select the embedded video on your slide
2. Go to the Animations tab
3. Choose an entrance animation effect, such as Appear, Fade, or Fly In
4. If desired, click Effect Options to customize the direction or intensity of the animation

Now your video is set to appear on the slide with your chosen animation when you click to advance.

Choosing the Right Animation Effect

PowerPoint offers a variety of animation effects for making elements appear on a slide. For videos, some good options include:

• Appear – The video instantly appears on the slide
• Fade – The video gradually fades into view
• Fly In – The video zooms in from the edge of the slide

The animation effect you choose should match the style and tone of your presentation. For example, a soft Fade might suit a more serious topic, while an energetic Fly In could punctuate an exciting reveal.

Step 3: Configure the Video to Play Automatically

The final step is to set the video to play automatically after it animates onto the slide:

1. Make sure your video is still selected
2. Click the Playback tab in the PowerPoint ribbon
3. Tick the box for Play Full Screen
4. Open the Start menu and choose Automatically

That’s it! Your video will now automatically begin playing as soon as it appears on the slide.

Fine-Tuning Video Playback

In addition to setting the video to play automatically, the Playback tab offers options to:

• Loop until Stopped – Continuously replay the video until you click to the next slide
• Rewind after Playing – Return to the start of the video once it finishes
• Hide While Not Playing – Only show the first frame of the video until it begins playing

Use these options to control exactly how your embedded video behaves during your presentation.

Additional Video Playback Options

PowerPoint offers additional options to control how your video plays:

Experiment with these to fine-tune your embedded video’s playback to your needs.

Tips for Using Video Effectively in PowerPoint

Simply adding video to your presentation isn’t enough – make sure you’re using it effectively:

1. Keep videos short and focused – Aim for videos under 60 seconds to maintain engagement
2. Ensure videos are relevant – Each video should have a clear purpose and connection to your content
3. Maintain design consistency – Style the video frame to match your presentation’s aesthetic
4. Compress video files – Large videos can make your PowerPoint file bloated; compress videos first when possible
5. Have a backup plan – Download video files locally in case of internet issues, and be prepared to present without video if needed
6. Provide accessible alternatives – Include captions or transcripts for video content to maximize accessibility

Engage Your Audience with PowerPoint Video Animation

Video is a powerful tool for capturing your audience’s attention and supplementing your message in PowerPoint presentations. By embedding video on a slide, using animations to make it appear, and setting it to play automatically, you can create dynamic, engaging presentations that deliver your content effectively.

The steps covered in this article – inserting a video, adding an entrance animation, and configuring it to autoplay – provide a foundation for making the most of PowerPoint’s video capabilities. The additional playback options and usage tips empower you to strategically integrate video to maximum effect.

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Trish Dixon

Trish Dixon is the founder of PPTBliss and a PowerPoint expert with over a decade of experience in presentation design. Passionate about visual storytelling, Trish shares her expertise through easy-to-follow tutorials on slide design, animations, transitions, and best practices, helping professionals create impactful presentations across industries.

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