To make a PowerPoint into a video, save your presentation, then click File > Export > Create a Video. Pick a video quality, set how many seconds to spend on each slide (5 by default), and click Create Video. PowerPoint saves an MP4 or WMV file that people can watch without PowerPoint. On a Mac, use File > Export and choose MP4 or MOV.
These steps follow Microsoft’s Turn your presentation into a video (Windows and Microsoft 365) and Save a presentation as a movie file or MP4 in PowerPoint for Mac support articles.
How to Turn a PowerPoint Into a Video on Windows
- Click File > Save so your latest changes are saved.
- Click File > Export > Create a Video. Microsoft says you can also use Export to Video on the Recording tab.
- Choose a quality: Ultra HD (4K), Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), or Standard (480p).
- Choose whether to use recorded timings and narrations.
- If you didn’t record timings, set Seconds to spend on each slide. The default is 5 seconds.
- Click Create Video, name the file, pick a folder, choose MPEG-4 Video or Windows Media Video, and click Save.
Result: PowerPoint creates the video while you keep working, and you can follow its progress in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. Microsoft warns this can take up to several hours for long or complex presentations, and suggests running a long export overnight.
Which Video Quality Should You Pick?
Microsoft lists these options, and says higher quality means a larger file:
- Ultra HD (4K): 3840 x 2160, for large monitors. Microsoft says it needs Windows 10 or later.
- Full HD (1080p): 1920 x 1080, for computer and HD screens.
- HD (720p): 1280 x 720, for internet and DVD.
- Standard (480p): 852 x 480, for portable devices.
1080p works well for most uses.
How to Export a PowerPoint Video on a Mac
- Click File > Export. Microsoft says not to use Save As, because it doesn’t offer video options.
- Open the File Format list and choose MP4 or MOV.
- Choose a Quality: Ultra HD (4K), Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), or Standard (480p).
- Check Use Recorded Timings and Narrations if you recorded them, or set the time per slide.
- Click Export.
Result: You get an MP4 or MOV file. Microsoft notes that on a Mac, animation effects don’t play in the movie, several transitions play differently, and embedded media files other than recorded narration won’t play.
Add Narration or Timings First
Microsoft says a recording saves your narration, animation, laser pointer movements, and timings in the presentation, and the video then picks them up. Use the Record tab to record the slide show, then export with Use Recorded Timings and Narrations. You can record from the beginning or slide by slide, with your webcam if you want. On Windows, animations and transitions play in the video, so a timeline in PowerPoint that reveals one date at a time works well.
What Won’t Be Included in the Video
Microsoft lists these items as left out of a Windows video export:
- Media inserted in older versions of PowerPoint, unless you convert or upgrade it first
- QuickTime media, unless a specific third-party codec is installed
- Macros
- OLE/ActiveX controls
Another Option: Save as a PowerPoint Show
If the people watching have PowerPoint, Microsoft says a PowerPoint Show (.ppsx) opens full-screen in Slide Show instead of edit mode. Click File > Save As, choose PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx) in the Save as type box, and click Save.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do viewers need PowerPoint to watch the video?
No. Microsoft says viewers don’t need PowerPoint installed, and MP4 and WMV are widely supported and can be streamed online.
Why is my exported video so large?
Video quality sets the file size. Pick HD (720p) or Standard (480p) for a smaller file, as Microsoft’s quality table shows.
Related Guides
- How to convert PowerPoint to PDF
- How to set time for slides in PowerPoint
- How to add a YouTube video 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.