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You can specify how you want your video to play during a presentation, and set many other playback options. The options include playing a video automatically or when clicked, playing a video full screen, and looping a video.

Before you can set the Play options for a video, you must first insert or link to a video in your presentation.

These Play options aren't available for online videos, such as YouTube videos. They are only available for videos inserted from your computer.

Important: Set this option before adding any animations or triggers to your video. By changing this option, you will remove any animations that are associated with your video.

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

  2. Under Video Tools, go to Playback. Then, in the Start list, choose one of these options:

    The Playback options for a video from your PC are: In Click Sequence, Automatically, or When Clicked On

    Option

    When the video plays during a slide show

    Automatically

    The video plays automatically when the slide appears.

    On Click or When Clicked On

    The video only plays when you click its Play button.

    In Click Sequence

    The video plays in sequence with other actions you've programmed on the slide (such as animation effects). This option doesn't require a literal click. You can trigger the video to begin with a clicker or any other mechanism that activates the next action on the slide (such as pressing the right arrow key).

    (This option is available in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 and PowerPoint 2019. It's also available in PowerPoint 2016 version 1709 or later.)

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.

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

  2. Under Video Tools, go to Playback, and check the Play Full Screen check box.

    Note: 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. On the slide, click the video frame.

  2. On the Playback tab of the ribbon, click Play.

Under Video Tools, go to Playback and then click Volume. Choose one of the following:

  • Low

  • Medium

  • High

  • Mute

    Tip: You can also adjust the volume by using the volume slider on the Media Controls bar.

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 Trigger an animation effect.

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

    Shows the Hide While Not Playing check box in PowerPoint Video Tools

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.

    Shows the Loop until Stopped option in PowerPoint Video Tools

Note: If you want to loop an entire PowerPoint presentation, not just a video, see Create a self-running presentation.

To rewind your video after playing it 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.

Media Controls

To show or hide the media controls (Play, Pause, Forward, Back, Volume) during your presentation, do the following:

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

    Shows the Show Media Controls option in PowerPoint

Newer versions

Important: Set this option before adding any animations or triggers to your video. Setting the Start option removes any animations that are already associated with the video.

  1. In Normal view, click the video to select it.

  2. On the ribbon, go to the Playback tab. Then, in the Start list, choose one of these options:

    Options for playing a video in PowerPoint

    Option

    When the video plays during a slide show

    Automatically

    The video plays automatically when the slide appears.

    When Clicked On

    The video only plays when you click its Play button.

    In Click Sequence

    The video plays in sequence with other actions you've programmed on the slide (such as animation effects). This option doesn't require a literal click. You can trigger the video to begin with a clicker or any other mechanism that activates the next action on the slide (such as pressing the right arrow key).

    (This option is available in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac and PowerPoint 2019 for Mac.  It's also available in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac version 16.9.0 or later.)

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.

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

  2. On the ribbon, go to thePlayback tab, and select the Play Full Screen check box.

    Note: 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. On the slide, click the video frame.

  2. On the Playback tab of the ribbon, click Play.

On the ribbon, go to the Playback tab, and then click Volume. Choose one of the following:

  • Low

  • Medium

  • High

  • Mute

    Tip: You can also adjust the volume by using the volume slider on the Media Controls bar.

While delivering your presentation, you can hide your video until you are ready to play it. However, if you do that, you should set the video to start automatically, or you will never see the video play during the slide show. (Use Start > Automatically on the Playback tab of the ribbon.

  • On the ribbon, on the Playback tab, in the Video Options group, select the Hide During Show check box.

    The "Hide During Show" command for playback of PowerPoint videos.

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

  • On the ribbon, on the Playback tab, select the Loop Until Stopped check box.

    The "Loop Until Stopped" command for playback of PowerPoint videos.

Note: If you want to loop an entire PowerPoint presentation, not just a video, see Create a self-running presentation.

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

  • On the ribbon, on the Playback tab, select the Rewind After Playing check box.

The Media Control Bar for video playback in PowerPoint

To show or hide the media controls (Play, Pause, Captions, Volume) during your presentation, do the following:

  • On the ribbon, on the Slide Show tab, select or clear the Show Media Controls check box.

    The Show Media Controls option on the Slide Show tab in PowerPoint.

2011

Note: Set this option before adding any animations to your movie. By changing this option, you will remove any animations that are associated with your movie.

  1. On the slide, click the movie that you want to change, and then click the Format Movie tab.

  2. Do one of the following:

    To

    Do this

    Play the movie when the slide that contains the movie appears during the slide slow

    Under Movie Options, on the Start pop-up menu, click Automatically.

    Format Movie tab, Movie Options group

    Control when you want to start the movie by clicking the mouse

    Under Movie Options, on the Start pop-up menu, click On Click.

    During the slide show, click the movie on the slide when you are ready to play the movie.

    Format Movie tab, Movie Options group

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

Note: If you set the movie to be displayed full screen and it's also set to start automatically, you can drag the movie frame off the slide into the gray area so that it won't be visible on the slide or flash briefly before the movie goes to full screen.

  1. On the slide, click the movie that you want to change, and then click the Format Movie tab.

  2. Under Movie Options, on the Playback Options menu, click Play Full Screen.

    Format Movie tab, Movie Options group

While delivering your presentation, you can hide the movie until you are ready to play it. However, you should add an animation effect to initiate playback or you will never see the movie play during the slideshow. For more information, see Animate text and objects.

  1. On the slide, click the movie that you want to change, and then click the Format Movie tab.

  2. Under Movie Options, on the Playback Options menu, click Hide While Not Playing.

    Format Movie tab, Movie Options group

You can play a movie repeatedly and continuously during your presentation by looping the movie.

  1. On the slide, click the movie that you want to change, and then click the Format Movie tab.

  2. Under Movie Options, on the Playback Options menu, click Loop Until Stopped.

    Format Movie tab, Movie Options group

    Tip: To stop the looping movie during the slide show, click on the movie or click  Pause button.

  1. On the slide, click the movie that you want to change, and then click the Format Movie tab.

  2. Under Movie Options, on the Playback Options menu, click Rewind After Playing.

    Format Movie tab, Movie Options group

You can hide the media controls if you don't want them to appear during the slide show. The media controls are located on the toolbar under the movie. Use these controls to play or pause the movie, see how long the movie is and its progress while playing, skip forward or back, or adjust the volume.

  • On the Slide Show tab, under Set Up, clear the Show Media Controls check box.

See also

Insert and play a video file from your computer

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