To add a YouTube video in PowerPoint, copy the video’s URL from your browser, select the slide, and click Insert > Video > Online Video. Paste the link and click Insert. In PowerPoint for the web, the button is Insert > Online Video. To duplicate a slide in PowerPoint Online, right-click it in the thumbnail pane and choose Duplicate Slide.
This guide covers inserting a YouTube video in desktop PowerPoint and PowerPoint for the web, playing it, what online videos can’t do, offline options, and duplicating slides. The steps come from Microsoft’s Insert a video from YouTube or another site and Add, rearrange, duplicate, and delete slides articles. Offline advice is attributed to Technobezz.
How to Add a YouTube Video in PowerPoint
- Find the video on YouTube and copy the URL from the address bar.
- In PowerPoint, select the slide.
- Click Insert > Video > Online Video.
- Paste the URL in the Online Video box.
- Click Insert, then drag the video to resize or move it.
Result: the video appears on the slide with YouTube’s own play, pause and volume controls. Microsoft says a Play button shows in Normal view, and in Slide Show you can use the video just as you would in a browser.
How to Add a YouTube Video in PowerPoint for the Web
- In a separate browser tab, find the video and copy its address.
- Switch to PowerPoint for the web and select the slide.
- On the Insert tab, in the Media group, select Online Video.
- Paste the address and select Insert.
Result: the video is placed on the slide, and you can drag it or resize it from a corner. Microsoft notes that to play it in PowerPoint for the web, you start the slide show (View > From Current Slide) and then select the play button.
Things to Know About Online Videos
- The video plays from YouTube, so Microsoft says you need an internet connection when you present.
- Microsoft says Fade, Bookmark and Trim don’t apply to online videos.
- Some videos can’t be embedded if the owner turned that off. Check on YouTube whether a video allows embedding.
- YouTube and Vimeo videos play in “click sequence” by default, so pressing the spacebar starts them.
- PowerPoint for the web can also insert videos from Vimeo, and from Microsoft Stream with a business or education subscription.
What If You’ll Be Offline?
Technobezz points out that inserting a URL doesn’t download the video. For offline playback in desktop PowerPoint, it recommends using a video file you have the rights to, such as your own upload downloaded from YouTube Studio or a file from the video’s owner, and inserting it from your computer. It adds that YouTube’s in-app offline downloads are encrypted and can’t be imported into PowerPoint.
How to Duplicate a Slide in PowerPoint Online
- In the thumbnail pane on the left, right-click the slide.
- Click Duplicate Slide.
The copy appears right after the original. Microsoft’s steps are the same in the Windows app. On a Mac, you can Ctrl+click the thumbnail instead of right-clicking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t my YouTube video embed?
Microsoft says not all online videos are allowed to be embedded. If the video’s owner turned off embedding, use a different video or link to it instead.
Can I trim a YouTube video in PowerPoint?
No. Microsoft says online videos can’t be trimmed. To trim, you’d need a video file saved on your computer, inserted in desktop PowerPoint.
Related Guides
- How to turn a PowerPoint into a video
- How to set slide timings in PowerPoint
- How to hide a slide in PowerPoint
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.