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How to Add Music to My Powerpoint Slideshow

PowerPoint is a very useful tool for creating presentations, lectures, and meetings. One way to enhance your presentation is by adding background music. Music can evoke certain emotions and engage your audience, making your presentation more interesting and memorable. In this blog post, we will discuss the different ways to add music to your PowerPoint slideshow.

Adding music to your presentation is easy, but it requires a little bit of effort and focus to determine which method is most suitable for your presentation. Keep reading this blog to learn the different methods that you can utilize to add music to your PowerPoint slideshow.

Video Tutorial:

What’s Needed

Before getting started with the process of adding music to your PowerPoint slideshow, you need to ensure that you have everything that is required to make this possible. Here is a list of items that you will require:

  • Your PowerPoint Presentation
  • The Music/Song you want to add to your Presentation
  • A Computer/Laptop
  • A File Conversion Software if required

What Requires Your Focus?

Before we move further, you need to focus on the following factors:

  • The Duration of your Presentation
  • What kind of music you want in your Presentation
  • How loud or soft you want the music to be in your Presentation
  • Whether you want the music to play through the entire presentation or only in certain slides
  • The size of the Audio File
  • The compatibility of the Audio File with PowerPoint

Different Methods to Add Music to My PowerPoint Slideshow

Method 1: Add Music via the Insert Tab

If you want to add music to your PowerPoint presentation, you can do it through the Insert tab. Follow the given steps to add music via the Insert tab:

  1. Open your PowerPoint presentation and go to the slide where you want to insert music.
  2. Select the ‘Insert’ tab from the toolbar.
  3. Click on ‘Audio’ and click on ‘Audio on my PC’.
  4. Select the music file that you want to add to your presentation and click on ‘Insert’.
  5. Audio symbol will appear on your slide and you can customize your audio playback settings by clicking on the ‘Playback’ tab.
  6. Now you can test the audio on your slide by clicking on the ‘Play’ button.

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Audio is embedded in the presentation for portability

Cons:

  • May need to resize the audio file to decrease presentation file size

Method 2: Add Music as a Background Soundtrack

Adding background music to your presentation can be done by following these steps:

  1. Click ‘Insert’ from the toolbar, click on ‘Audio’, and then click ‘Audio Browser’.
  2. Select the ‘Soundtrack’ option, which is located in the ‘Audio Browser’ section.
  3. Search for the music file that you want to add as a background soundtrack for your presentation and click on ‘Insert’.
  4. The audio symbol will appear, and you can customize the audio playback settings from the ‘Playback’ tab.
  5. Now, you can test the audio on your slide by clicking on the ‘Play’ button.

Pros:

  • Audio is embedded in the presentation for portability
  • Can be set to play throughout the entire presentation

Cons:

  • May need to resize the file to decrease presentation file size
  • Can be overwhelming to the audience if played too loudly

Method 3: Add Music by Embedding a YouTube Video

You can also add music to your PowerPoint presentation by embedding a YouTube video that contains the music that you want. Follow these steps:

  1. Open your PowerPoint presentation and go to the slide where you want to embed the video.
  2. Go to YouTube and find the video that contains the music that you want.
  3. Copy the URL of the video
  4. Go back to PowerPoint, click on ‘Insert’, then click ‘Online Video’, and then click ‘Insert Video From YouTube’.
  5. Paste the copied URL into the ‘From a video embed code’ field, and click ‘Insert’.
  6. The video symbol will appear on your slide, and now you can customize the video playback settings.
  7. Now you can test the video on your slide by clicking on the ‘Play’ button.

Pros:

  • Provides access to a wide range of music
  • Easy to use

Cons:

  • Requires internet connection to play the video
  • The video may have ads or other content not related to your presentation

Why Can’t I Add Music to My PowerPoint Slideshow?

If you are unable to add music to your PowerPoint slideshow, here are some possible reasons:

1. Unsupported File Format

You may be trying to add an audio file that is not supported by PowerPoint. Ensure that the file format you are using is compatible with PowerPoint.

Fix: Convert the file into a supported format, such as .mp3 or.wav, before adding it to your presentation.

2. Large File Size

If the audio file you are trying to add is too large, it may not be supported by PowerPoint. This can also increase your presentation file size, making it difficult to share or present.

Fix: Reduce the file size of the audio file before adding it to the presentation. This can be done by compressing or editing the file.

3. Missing Audio Codec

If your computer does not have the correct audio codec, you may not be able to use certain types of audio files in your presentation.

Fix: Install the necessary audio codec to ensure that your computer can play the audio file properly.

Implications and Recommendations

Adding music to your PowerPoint presentation can make it engaging and memorable for your audience. However, it is important to use music that is appropriate for your presentation topic. It is also important to ensure that the music level is not too loud, as it can be overwhelming and distracting for your audience.

When adding music to your presentation, make sure to consider the file size and compatibility with PowerPoint. This can help ensure that your presentation runs smoothly and can be shared easily.

5 FAQs about Adding Music to My PowerPoint Slideshow

Q1: How do I change the volume of the music on my slide?

A: Click on the audio symbol on your slide and go to the ‘Playback’ tab. Adjust the volume slider to increase or decrease the volume as required.

Q2: How do I set the music to play throughout the entire presentation?

A: Click on the audio symbol and go to the ‘Playback’ tab. Under the ‘Audio Options’, select the ‘Loop Until Stopped’ option.

Q3: Can I add multiple audio files to my presentation?

A: Yes, you can add multiple audio files to your presentation. Simply follow the steps above to add each audio file.

Q4: Can I add music to individual slides in my presentation?

A: Yes, you can add music to individual slides in your presentation by following the steps above for each slide.

Q5: How do I remove the music from my presentation?

A: Click on the audio symbol and press the ‘Delete’ key on your keyboard.

In Conclusion

Adding music to your PowerPoint presentation can make it more engaging and memorable for your audience. There are different methods that you can use to add music to your presentation, each with its own pros and cons. Ensure that you have the necessary items and focus on the relevant factors before adding the music. Finally, make sure that the music is appropriate to your presentation, not too loud, and compatible with PowerPoint. Follow the given steps to add music to your PowerPoint Slideshow, and your presentation will be equally enjoyable and informative.