How to add a YouTube Video in PowerPoint

Contents

Sometimes, you want to show your audience a YouTube video during a presentation. Some people do so by opening the browser, going to YouTube and then typing the video title into the search bar, when in fact there is a much easier and more convenient way. In the this post, you'll learn how you can directly insert a YouTube Video into PowerPoint that plays automatically on your slide. Also, we have got some great suggestions about videos you could show your audience.

Video

You can watch our video (which is by the way inserted from YouTube as well) down below and learn how to add a video to your slides in just one minute! If you don't feel like watching the video, you can also follow the step-by-step guide down below.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

1. Go to Insert in the PowerPoint task line on the top.
2. Click on Video on the top right corner. Then choose the option Online Video.
3. A window will open which will ask you to insert the video’s URL.
4. Open the YouTube video you would like to embed in your browser. You can simply right click on the address bar in the browser and copy the URL. Alternatively, perform a right mouse click on the video, and then click on Copy Video URL.
5. Go back to PowerPoint and insert the URL by either pressing CTRL+V or right click and then Paste. Then click on Insert.
6. Your video will then be inserted on your current slide. Just like any element, you can change its size or move it around now.
7. To start the video (either while editing or in presentation mode), simply click on the play button.

YouTube video with offline playback

With the previously described option, it is necessary to have a stable internet connection while presenting. As that can not always be guaranteed, there is also a way of inserting YouTube videos that work offline. Follow these steps:

1. Open the YouTube Video in your Browser. Copy the URL by clicking the address bar and then Right Click > Copy.
2. Open the website y2mate.com. Paste your copied URL into the text field, then click Start.
3. Choose one of the options for download (and click the Download button. We recommend 1080p or 720p.
4. A window will open, and your video will convert. When it's ready, click Download .mp4".
5. After your file has downloaded, you should see it in your Downloads folder in the browser. By clicking "Show in folder", you'll see where it's saved on your device.
6. Right click on the file in your folder and click Copy.
7. Go to the PowerPoint slide where you want your video to be placed. Right click and Paste. Your video should now appear and play if you click on it.

What kinds of videos can I use in a presentation?

Videos are an amazing way to liven up your presentation. Especially when you're talking for a long time, the audience tends to get tired. That's where a variation of multimedia elements, such as videos, can be helpful. We recommend putting videos in the main part of a presentation, but of course you may also start or finish by presenting a video to your audience. There is no limit for the type of video, the only guideline you should follow is relevance. Before mindlessly pasting a video to your slide, ask yourself: "What purpose does this video fulfill within my presentation?" Is it supposed to inform and teach the audience, is it something you really want everybody to see, or is it just a funny little clip to lighten the mood? All of those purposes are fine. With this tip, you're one step closer to a wonderful presentation! If you want to learn more about successful presentations and Audience Engagement, check out our blogpost Top 10 Tools for increasing Audience Engagement.

Set the start of your video

After you've added a video from YouTube, it starts to play by default when you click anywhere on the slide during the presentation. That's usually fine, but can sometimes be annoying, e.g. when you have more than one video on one slide. In that case, it is helpful to set the Start to When clicked on. The video then won't start until you click directly on it. You can do that by first clicking on your video, going to the Playback tab on the right and then select When clicked on in the Start-selection. By choosing Automatically here, your video will start automatically, without having to click on it.

Add a video from your device

If you want to add a video that is saved on your computer, you can do so by following the tutorial in our article Insert a local Video.

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
CTRL+C	Copy an element or text
CTRL+V	Paste a previously copied element or text
CTRL+Z	Undo an action
CTRL+Y	Redo an action
CTRL+S	Save

FAQ