record a presentation with video

• Use Presenter View Video
• Add speaker notes​ Video
• Practice and time your presentation​ Video
• Record a presentation Video
• Print a presentation Video

Record a presentation

Record narration and timings for your presentation to give it a professional and polished feel.

Record narration and timings

Open the slide you want to start recording from.

Near the upper right corner of the PowerPoint window, select  Record .

Choose from two options

When you're ready, select the round, red  Record button, wait for the countdown, then start speaking. To record from a specific slide, go to it, and then select Record .

Note:  Narration isn't recorded while the transition between slides happens, so pause during a transition, then resume speaking.

Manage narration and timings

There are different ways to manage recordings in your presentation:

Pause - to pause a recording

Stop - to end a recording

Replay - to replay a recording

Pen , Highlighter , or Eraser - use the pen, highlighter, or eraser tools to mark up your recording

Remove narration or timings

An audio icon appears on a slide when narration is available.

You can also remove narration or timings from your slide.

If you're in record mode, select  Clear .

Choose from two options:

Clear Recording on Current Slide - to delete narration and timings on the current slide

Clear Recording on All Slides - to delete narration and timings from all slides at once

Save a recording

When you're done recording, save and share your presentation as a PowerPoint file or video.

Select File .

Choose an option like Save or Export .  Your recording will automatically play when someone opens the presentation.

Record a slide show with narration and slide timings

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How to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint

What type of content do you primarily create?

Recording yourself presenting a PowerPoint can be challenging, especially getting the technical aspects right. You need to capture your screen, webcam, and audio seamlessly while delivering your content naturally and avoiding awkward transitions between slides.

Finding a tool that integrates all these components can seem daunting. However, recording yourself presenting a PowerPoint doesn't have to be reserved for the tech-savvy or professional speakers.

Whether you're a teacher creating online lessons, a marketer producing a product demo, or someone looking to improve their presentation skills, this guide will walk you through user-friendly tools and strategies that will teach you how to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint.

• Recording yourself presenting a PowerPoint can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be reserved for experts.
• Video recording offers unlimited reach, repurposing opportunities, and a more engaging experience.
• Use PowerPoint's built-in recording feature or tools like Descript for a polished presentation.
• Other tools like Zoom, Loom, OBS Studio, Clipchamp, and Quick Time Player can also be used for recording.
• Tips include practicing your script, using slide notes, ensuring high-quality audio and lighting, and incorporating storytelling techniques.

Why video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint? 

Video recording your PowerPoint presentations offers several advantages:

• Unlimited reach : Unlike in-person presentations confined to a specific time and location, recorded videos allow your message to reach audiences globally at their convenience.
• Repurposing opportunities: Recorded presentations can be repurposed as evergreen content across multiple platforms, such as social media, online courses, webinars, and internal training materials, maximizing their value.
• Personal and engaging : Recording yourself narrating a presentation adds a personal touch and dynamic element that static slides alone cannot replicate. Your viewers can see and hear you deliver the content, creating a more immersive and engaging experience.

How to record your presentation with the PowerPoint app

Built-in recording feature in powerpoint.

1. Open the PowerPoint slide you want to record. 

2. Click on the Record tab of the top toolbar.

3. Click on the Record button and choose from any of the following options:

• From Current Slide
• From Beginning

4. You'll see the PowerPoint screen recording window.

5. Select the microphone and camera from the icon on the top-right.

6. Click the Stop and Replay buttons to end or replay your recording.

7. To export your presentation's recording, click Export to Video within the Recording tab.

Benefits : Easy to use, no external tools needed

Limitations : Limited editing capabilities.

How to make a more polished recording of your presentation with Descript 

While PowerPoint's built-in recording features are helpful, they may not produce the refined result you want for your presentation. That's where Descript comes in handy. 

It’s a whole production studio at your fingertips, with video recording, transcription, and editing capabilities, ready to transform dull PowerPoint slides into an engaging experience for your audience. Descript also has a built-in screen recorder.

You can use Descript on Windows, Mac, or even straight from your web browser. 

Here's step-by-step guide to recording your PowerPoint presentation with Descript.

Set up your screen recording

1. Install and open Descript. At the top of the editor, click and open the Record panel. 

2. Select Screen.

3. Set Recorder settings:

Adjust the default recording settings to your liking, including the transcription language, the maximum recording resolution, and more. 

4. Set recording options. Choose which audio and video sources to record (e.g., microphone, computer audio, camera). Remember to turn the camera on to capture your talking head video alongside your PowerPoint presentation.

5. Click the Additional Settings icon for

• Studio Sound (Optional): Enhance audio quality with noise reduction and background removal
• Transcription (Optional): Enable automatic transcription for easier editing
• Recording separate audio tracks

6. Add (optional) Speaker labels for each audio track (e.g., "Narrator," "Expert") by typing them in the text box next to your audio inputs. 

Capture your screen recording

1. Select the right recording option:

• Recording into script : Choose this if you haven’t recorded anything yet.
• Replace selection : Choose this if you already have a script and want to replace a specific section with a new recording.
• Record new layer : Pick this for recording your video as a new layer on top of an existing recording.

2. Click Record at the bottom of the Record panel.

3. Drag over the area of your screen you wish to record. Click Start Recording. Press Space to start recording the full screen.

4. Click Stop to finish recording

Bonus: Descript creates separate tracks for camera, microphone, and computer audio. You can edit each track individually for more precise control.

• Do a short test recording to ensure everything is set up correctly.
• Set your recording to transibe for easier editing.

Editing and polishing your PowerPoint recording in Descript

Descript's AI video editing tool makes it a breeze to trim, cut, and splice your video footage, ensuring a seamless flow from start to finish. You can add smooth transitions and other visual effects to make your presentation pop.

Here’s a glimpse of how to edit and polish your PowerPoint recording in Descript:

Edit your recording like a doc

Did you make a mistake during a slide transition? No problem. Just delete those sections in the text transcript (created automatically by Descript) and the video will adjust to match.

Remove filler words

Sound smoother and more confident by easily removing filler words like "um" and "uh" from the transcript.

Fix voiceover mistakes by typing

Didn't nail your delivery on a specific slide? No need to start from scratch! Descript's Overdub feature lets you simply type in the correct narration and replace the audio on that slide with AI voice cloning.

Boost video quality and engagement : 

• Crisp up audio quality by reducing background noise and room reverb with the AI-powered Studio Sound feature.
• ‎Replace your background completely with the Green Screen Video Editor —look like you're presenting in a sleek studio or broadcasting from a beach.
• Enable Eye Contact simulation with AI, so it appears you're making direct eye contact with viewers, even if you’re looking or reading something off-camera.

Other ways to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint 

Use Zoom’s meeting recording feature to record yourself giving a PowerPoint presentation. Start a Zoom meeting with yourself, share your PowerPoint window, and enable recording

Loom is a handy screen recording tool that also offers a webcam overlay. Launch the Loom app or Chrome extension and set it to record your screen and webcam. Expect high-quality recordings but no advanced editing features. The free plan offers only five minutes of recording at a stretch.

3. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free, open-source screen recorder/streaming software with a steeper learning curve. It’s popular among advanced or tech-savvy users who need granular customization and control.

To record your presentation, add a "Screen Capture" source to capture your PowerPoint window and a "Video Capture Device" source for your webcam. 

4. Clipchamp: Recording natively in Windows

You can use Microsoft’s Clipchamp , the built-in screen recorder and video editor for Windows, to simultaneously capture your computer screen, webcam, and audio for recording your PowerPoint presentation. It’s also available as a browser-based app. You can record up to 30 minutes on screen and webcam recordings.

Users can also adjust the screen and webcam recordings in the editing timeline separately. 

5. Quick Time Player Recording natively in Mac

Use Mac’s Quick Time Player to record your PowerPoint presentation. It’s not as straightforward as the other options on this list, so here’s a quick guide to help you out:

• Launch Quick Time Player.
• Select File and go to New Movie Recording.
• You'll be recording your entire screen in addition to recording your face, so adjust the size and location of the recording window so that it's in a nonintrusive corner of your PowerPoint.
• Go to View and select Float on Top .
• Next, go to File and select New Screen Recording.
• On the menu that appears, select Record Selected Portion and drag a border around your PowerPoint and the webcam recording window.
• Press Record and start presenting.
• You can adjust the video quality and the audio source in the webcam recording window.

How to turn your PowerPoint presentation slides into a video 

Did you know PowerPoint lets you save your presentation as a video, too? 

Here's a breakdown of the two ways you can do so—keeping all the presentation elements (narration, animation, pointer movements, timings, and so on) intact in the presentation itself.  

Save your PowerPoint presentation as a video

This creates a separate video file (MP4 or WMV) that anyone can play, even without PowerPoint. 

Follow these steps:

• Save your presentation
• Go to File > Export > Create a Video
• Ultra HD (4K): Best for large screens (if you have Windows 10+)
• Full HD (1080p): Great for computers and TVs
• HD (720p): Good for streaming online or on DVDs
• Standard (480p): Smallest size, good for phones

4. Decide on narration

• If you haven't recorded yourself talking, choose "Don't Use Recorded Timings and Narrations" from the dropdown menu
• If you have a recording, choose "Use Recorded Timings and Narrations." You can also set how long each slide shows for (default is 5 seconds)

5. Click Create Video

6. Name your video, pick a folder to save it in, and choose a file type (MPEG-4 or Windows Media Video)

Creating the video might take a while, especially for longer presentations. You can even leave it running overnight. Once done, find your video in the chosen folder and double-click to play it.

Save your PowerPoint presentation as a slideshow

This saves your presentation as a special file (PPSX) that starts playing automatically on full screen when opened. It only works with PowerPoint.

Here’s how it works:

• Make sure your presentation is saved (regular PowerPoint file)
• Go to File > Save As .
• Pick a folder to save the slideshow in.
• Under Save as type, choose PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx) .
• Click Save .

Now when someone opens the file, it will automatically play the slideshow.

Pro tips for making better video PowerPoint presentations 

Practice your script.

Recording a flawless PowerPoint video rarely happens in one take. The key is practice.

Record practice run-throughs and watch them back. Make notes on areas that need improvement or parts lacking clarity. The more you drill your script, the more confident and natural you'll sound in the final recording.

Take advantage of PowerPoint's built-in Speaker Coach . The feature shows you whether your pace is too fast or slow, your use of filler words like "um," and suggestions to improve your voice modulation.

Use slide notes for coherent delivery

Wouldn’t a personal teleprompter make presentations so much easier? That’s what slide notes are for.

Having your thoughts and talking points organized within your PowerPoint file lets you have all crucial information and prompts readily available when recording.

Go ahead and add detailed notes or even a full script for each slide. This will help you stay on track and provide a handy transcript reference if you need to do any editing or voiceover work in post-production.

Use high-quality audio equipment or turn on Studio Sound

Poor audio recording quality is a surefire way to make even the most visually polished video feel amateurish. Do your presentation justice by investing in a decent external or Bluetooth microphone and audio interface to capture clear voiceover audio.

If you must use a built-in mic, record in a quiet environment to minimize background noise pickup. Or better yet, pair up with an AI-powered audio enhancement tool like Descript's Studio Sound , which reduces background noise , reverb, and other artifacts.

Ensure a clean background and even lighting

Ditch cluttered backgrounds. You want people to focus on the content of your PowerPoint and not be distracted by the funny shapes and colors in your video. 

Your video lighting and framing matters, too. Position yourself facing a natural light source or bring supplemental video lighting to eliminate weird shadows and squinting-level glare.

Look directly into the camera or turn on Eye Contact

Looking directly into the camera is essential to create a sense of connection with the audience. Position your webcam or camera at eye level and imagine you're talking to a friend. If you're using Descript, enable the Eye Contact feature to auto-adjust your gaze towards the camera.

• Dress professionally and maintain a good posture to project confidence and authority.
• Use visuals, animations, and multimedia elements to enhance your presentation and keep your audience engaged.
• Consider adding closed captions or subtitles to your video for better accessibility and engagement, especially for those watching without sound.
• Speak clearly and at a moderate pace, using vocal variety to emphasize key points and maintain interest.
• Incorporate storytelling techniques, real-life examples, or personal anecdotes to make your video presentation more relatable and memorable .

Take your PowerPoint presentations from amateur to amazing 

Recording yourself virtually presenting a PowerPoint allows you to distribute your message using the most engaging type of content: video. And there are many screen recording tools out there that can capture your screen and web camera footage with just a few clicks. 

But how do you stand out?

By focusing on the presentation's depth, your delivery, and the video's quality. The first two are the bare minimum to communicate your message effectively. 

But the right screen capture software and all-in-one video creation tool like Descript can help you with third. Use the tool to improve the quality of your recorded PPT presentations. 

With Descript, it's easier than ever to record your screen, polish up the audio, and create stunning visuals all in one place. So why wait? 

Sign up for Descript today and simplify your workflow while creating a PowerPoint presentation video that sticks with your audience in the long term.

How do you make a presentation video with your face?

To create a presentation video with your face, follow these steps:

• Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
• Go to the Slide Show tab.
• Click on Record and choose From Current Slide or From Beginning .
• Choose your microphone and camera by clicking on a sound icon on the top-right.
• Start recording by clicking on the record button.
• Speak into your microphone to narrate the presentation.
• Your webcam will capture your face during the recording.
• Click Stop when you finish recording.
• Export your recorded presentation by clicking on File> Export>Create a video.

How do you present yourself in PowerPoint?

To present yourself effectively in PowerPoint, follow these steps:

• Determine the key information to include in your presentation.
• Design and prepare your PowerPoint slides with a cohesive theme.
• Craft a compelling introduction to engage your audience.
• Tailor your presentation to different time constraints for flexibility.
• Capture the audience's attention before you begin speaking.

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How to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint

Heads up! This content is relevant for Clipchamp for personal accounts. Try this link If you're looking for information about Clipchamp for work accounts.

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Method 1: How to record your webcam in PowerPoint

Method 2: how to record your webcam and powerpoint in clipchamp, resize your video presentation for any platform, tips to setup your video presentation recordings, editing tips to make your video presentations better.

Creating an engaging and professional video presentation requires more than just delivering information—it's about connecting with your audience. Whether you're crafting a presentation for a business, sales, school, or onboarding , adding a video of yourself can transform your PowerPoint slides into a dynamic (and personal!) storytelling tool.

This guide covers two ways to video record yourself into a PowerPoint: recording your presentation directly in PowerPoint and using the free online video editor, Clipchamp , to elevate your videos. Learn how to elevate your video presentations in this step-by-step guide.

Step 1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint and navigate to the record tab

Head over to the PowerPoint application to start your webcam recording in PowerPoint. Next, click on the record tab to launch recording options.

Step 2. Select the cameo option to enable your webcam

Click the cameo button on the record toolbar.

A blue placeholder circle will appear to preview the placement of your webcam recording overlay. If desired, you can customize the shape and add a border to your webcam recording. If you haven’t used the cameo feature before, make sure to enable the webcam and microphone permissions and select your mic and camera source.

Step 3. Record your presentation video

Click on the record button in the top right corner to start recording. Here, you will record your PowerPoint presentation slides, teleprompter, and webcam. A three-second countdown will appear. To stop recording, click on the stop recording button. You can preview your video before saving it.

Step 4. Save and share your presentation video

Preview your PowerPoint video before saving. When you’re done recording, click on the export button then click on export video.

For more help, take a look at the record a presentation help article .

Now that you've mastered the basics, so let's move on to another workflow that will make your PowerPoint presentations even more compelling.

To level up your presentation, we'll explore how to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint with Microsoft Clipchamp and edit your video with beginner-friendly features. Using the screen and camera recorder, you can record your webcam and PowerPoint presentation without leaving your browser. Your webcam recording automatically saves as a picture-in-picture overlay , making your video easy to edit and customize to your liking.

Follow the steps below to learn how to record your webcam and video presentation in Clipchamp .

Click on the record & create tab on the toolbar.

Click on the screen and camera option .

Select a camera and mic to use.

Click on the record button to select a tab, window, or entire screen with your PowerPoint presentation shown.

Save your recording when you’re finished presenting.

Trim away mistakes or excess footage on the timeline with the trim tool .

Save your video presentation in 1080p video resolution.

For more help, check out the screen and camera tutorial . You can also save your PowerPoint presentation as an MP4 or MOV file , then import your video onto the timeline to start editing.

If you’re sharing your video presentation to multiple different platforms, such as YouTube or Stream , it might require different aspect ratios for video posts. Instead of creating a new video for each platform, just resize your PowerPoint video using the aspect ratio presets .

Follow the steps below to resize your presentation video using the presets quickly.

Import and add your video to the timeline.

Click on the 16:9 aspect ratio button .

Hover over each preset to preview the aspect ratio.

Click on a new aspect ratio that suits your platform to resize your video.

Use the fit or fill buttons in the floating toolbar to remove black borders or bars .

Save your video by clicking on the export button and selecting 1080p video resolution.

In order to produce high-quality recordings, it's important to pay attention to a few key factors: a stable internet connection, a quiet recording environment, and good lighting. Once these are sorted, consider setting up your technical tools correctly.

Here's how to configure your recording setup when using PowerPoint or Clipchamp.

How to setup PowerPoint’s recording features

As mentioned above, PowerPoint allows you to record your slides as well as your camera. Take a look at some considerations to record without errors.

Video source setup : Navigate to the recording tab in PowerPoint. Here, you can select your video source—usually your computer’s built-in webcam or an external camera connected to your computer. Ensure the camera is correctly selected and positioned.

Audio source setup : Select your audio input source in the same recording tab. This could be your laptop’s internal microphone, an external microphone, or another connected audio device. Choose the best-quality microphone available and record audio to check for clarity and volume. Adjust the microphone settings to reduce background noise and ensure your voice is clear and audible.

Preview and testing : Before starting the actual recording, do a test run to see and hear how you appear and sound in the recording. This test will help you adjust the camera position, audio settings, and move to another location if the lighting or background noise are distracting.

How to setup screen and webcam recording in Clipchamp

Configure your recording settings in Clipchamp to optimize video and audio quality.

Choose a presentation size: A standard 16:9 aspect ratio is suitable for most presentations.

Set up your screen and camera recording permissions : Go to the record & create tab on the toolbar. Next, click on the screen tool or screen and camera tool. A popup window will appear requesting permissions. Allow Clipchamp access to your camera and microphone if you haven't used our webcam recorder before. Click allow when ready to proceed.

Choose screen source : Either record your browser tab, window, or entire screen through the popup window.

Choose webcam and audio source: Select your microphone source, camera source and select speaker coach if desired through the popup window.

Trim away mistakes

Use the intuitive trimming tool in Clipchamp to remove unnecessary segments of your screen recording, webcam video or audio voiceover in a few clicks. This helps maintain the engagement in your presentation. Learn how in this tutorial video .

Use captions to create accessible videos

Generate real-time captions for your video presentation to make it easier to understand on mute with the autocaptions feature . Just turn on autocaptions to automatically create a video transcript which consists of an index of timestamps to help you navigate your video better.

Add annotation stickers to enhance messages

Draw attention to specific elements within your PowerPoint presentation by overlaying sticker annotations. In the content library tab on the toolbar, search through an endless range of shapes and annotations like arrows, squares, circles, stars, graphics, and more.

Speed up and slow down videos

If your presentation is too slow or too fast, easily edit your video’s speed with the beginner friendly speed selector . Just remember to make your presentation speed easy to understand and not too fast.

Add text animations for clarity

This can help reinforce your messages and ensure they resonate with your audience. Provide more context for viewers with text animations . Choose from a wide range of professional titles like multiline, lower third, bouncing, mirror and more. Customize titles to suit your presentation theme with different fonts, colors, sizes, and positions .

Use ASL stickers to enhance videos

Make your PowerPoint videos more accessible for work, school, or social media with the help of popular American Sign Language video stickers . Just place an ASL sticker side by side with your video content or as a standalone clip to convey meaning to the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Adjust your webcam footage

Make your webcam videos appear more vibrant and professional-looking with the color correction tools . These tools allow you to adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation simply.

Learn more about recording a presentation video using Windows 10 and explore how to create engaging video presentations .

Edit videos today with Clipchamp for free or download the Clipchamp Windows app .  

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