Audio in PowerPoint

You can add sound clips to a slide to emphasize a point or add some background audio to set a mood. However, make sure you don't go overboard because audio can be distracting.

Add Audio to a Slide

1. Click the Insert tab on the ribbon.
2. If necessary, click to expand the Media group.
3. Click Audio.
4. Select Audio on My PC.
   
5. Navigate to and select a sound clip.
6. Click Insert.
   

   A sound icon appears on the slide and Audio Tools tabs appear on the ribbon where you can adjust the audio.

7. Click Play to test your audio.
   

Record Audio

If you need a very specific sound that you can't find online or that isn’t already saved to your computer, you can record a sound yourself instead.

1. Click the Insert tab on the ribbon.
2. Click to expand the Media group.
3. Click Audio.
4. Select Record Audio.
   
5. Click Record.
6. Record your audio.
7. Click the Stop button.
8. Click OK to save it.
   

Audio Options

1. Select the audio clip.
2. Click the Playback tab.
3. Expand the Audio Options group.
4. Click the Volume button.
5. Select a volume option.
   
6. Click the Start list arrow and select an option.
   • Automatically: Audio begins when you enter the slide.
   • On Click: Audio is paused until you click the mouse.
7. Use the check boxes in the Audio Options group to adjust any other settings.
   • Play Across Slides: The audio will continue to play as you switch to the next slides.
   • Loop until Stopped: The audio will replay in a loop while you remain on this slide during the presentation.
   • Hide During Show: The audio icon will be hidden during the presentation.
   • Rewind after Playing: The audio will play once and then automatically rewind.
   

There are additional useful options on the Playback tab, such as setting the audio to fade in or out, trimming the audio down, or inserting a bookmark.

To remove audio, just select the sound icon and press the Delete key on your keyboard.