How to Add Music to a PowerPoint Presentation
Want to make your PowerPoint presentation more engaging? One of the easiest ways to enhance it is by adding music. Whether you’re giving a lecture, pitching a business idea or creating a slideshow for an event, music can help set the tone and keep your audience interested.
Of course, the first step is knowing how to add music to your PowerPoint in the first place. We’ll show you how to do that right here. Let’s get started with the basics.
Can You Put Music in a PowerPoint?
First of all, let us answer the question of whether this can even be done without some sort of add-in or additional software… The answer is “yes.” You can put music in a PowerPoint presentation. PowerPoint allows you to insert audio files, including music, voiceovers or sound effects directly into your slides. You can choose to have the music play:
- On a single slide
- Across multiple slides
- Throughout the entire presentation
You can also control how the music starts (automatically or on click), whether it loops and if it fades in or out.
Supported Music File Formats in PowerPoint
Now, before you go trying to do this yourself, you’ll want to make sure that whatever music or other audio you’re trying to add is a compatible file type. It probably is, but it doesn’t hurt to double check. PowerPoint will accept the following file types:
- MP3
- MP4
- WAV
- M4A
- Windows Media Audio (.wma)
- MIDI (.mid or .midi)
- AIFF
- AU
Avoid overly large audio files or uncommon file types, as they may not play correctly across all devices.
How to Add Music to a PowerPoint Slide
After ensuring you have a compatible file type, you’re ready to add the music to your PowerPoint. Here’s how to insert music into a slide using PowerPoint for desktop.
Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation
Navigate to the slide where you want the music to start.
Step 2: Insert the Audio File
- Click the Insert tab in the top ribbon.
- Select Audio > Audio on My PC (or Audio from File on Mac).
- Choose your music file and click Insert.
A speaker icon will appear on the slide. This represents your audio file. That’s pretty simple, but if you want to explore more advanced capabilities in terms of when and where the music plays, continue reading.
How to Set Music Playback Options in PowerPoint
After inserting your audio, select the speaker icon and go to the Playback tab. This tab allows you to control how your music plays during the presentation.
Key Playback Settings
- Start Automatically: The music plays as soon as the slide appears.
- Start When Clicked On: The music starts only when you click the speaker icon.
- Play Across Slides: The music continues to play across all slides.
- Loop Until Stopped: The audio repeats until the presentation ends or you manually stop it.
- Hide During Show: Hides the speaker icon during slideshow mode.
These settings will help you fine tune how the music is used during your presentation, ensuring that it perfectly accents or accompanies your slides rather than being a distraction.
How to Play an Audio File in PowerPoint for One Slide Only
If you want your audio file to play for only one slide, it’s pretty easy. Just follow the initial instructions above for adding an audio file to a PowerPoint slide (navigate to the slide fiirst, then insert the audio file).
In the settings above, you’ll want to make sure that “Play Across All Slides” is not selected. If it’s not, you can feel confident that the audio will only play on the slide you inserted it into. For a more seamless playback, you can cut the audio file down to a certain length of time that fits the amount of time you intend on presenting that slide.
How to Add Background Music to a PowerPoint
If your goal is to play background music across the entire presentation, such as ambient instrumental music or a soft backing track, use the Play Across Slides setting. This will ensure that the music plays for the duration of your presentation. Alternatively, you can select the Play in Background button and the correct settings will automatically be selected to ensure your song plays throughout the presentation.
This can be tricky, however, as a song that loops or doesn’t fully finish by the time you’re ending your presentation may not have the same impact. Ambient music will likely be fine, as you can select Loop Until Stopped, but any song with structure may require you to carefully practice your presentation timing.
Additionally, be sure the background music does not interfere with your voice. You can adjust volume under Playback > Volume.
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Tips for Using Music Effectively in Presentations
1. Choose the Right Type of Music
Be sure to select music that fits the context of your presentation. For example, Toto’s Africa is probably not the song you want playing during a presentation on Arctic wildlife.
- Use upbeat instrumentals for motivational content.
- Choose soft ambient tracks for informational or academic topics.
- Avoid lyrics unless they’re relevant and won’t distract the audience.
2. Keep Volume Balanced
Test the presentation to ensure your music doesn’t overpower your voice or distract from your message.
3. Use Audio Legally
If you’re sharing your presentation publicly (such as on YouTube), make sure your audio is royalty-free or properly licensed. Avoid using copyrighted music without permission.
4. Preview on the Target Device
Some audio playback issues may arise on different versions of PowerPoint or on different computers. Always test your presentation on the device you’ll be using for the presentation day.
5. Get Creative
There are many creative ways to use music in a PowerPoint presentation. Here are a few ideas you can try:
- Add intro music at the start of a keynote or business pitch
- Use short sound effects between sections of when introducing new topics
- Create voiceover narration for self-guided slideshows or virtual training
- Use ambient loops for meditative or wellness-related presentations
- Include thematic background music for holiday events, celebrations, or storytelling presentations
Adding music to your PowerPoint can take a standard slide deck and turn it into a memorable presentation for you and the audience. It’s a powerful way to make your presentation more engaging and retain everyone’s attention. Thankfully, PowerPoint gives you flexible tools to make it happen.
